**Sip Saturday is written by our Saturday morning contributor, M.H. Elrich. A beautifully gifted Christian author who seeks to honor the Trinity in her writing. She hopes that her words will encourage women to draw closer to God, whether that is through her fantasy series or her weekly devotionals.
Cornerstone Scripture:
“Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
-Hebrews 4:7 KJV
“Come on, keep going!” the coach yelled.
Panting, I sprinted forward to the next line and dropped down. I did one push-up and one sit-up. Then, I ran to the following line and did it again. I was shaking and felt like I was about to vomit.
“Go, go, go!” the coach continued.
Slowly, I got to my feet and tried to put one foot in front of another. I stumbled and threw up all over the grass field.
I had reached my limit. My coach allowed me to take a break. As I drank my water and Gatorade, I hoped my stomach would settle.
To this day, when I look back on how the coach pushed me past my limits, I am filled with dread. I know that some people feel happy when they have hard exercise. I do not. I have since learned that walking with friends is my idea of good exercise.
Limits are there for a reason. Yes, you can push past the limits in exercise to build more muscle and endurance. But even if I continued to exercise, I would’ve gotten very sick, and it wouldn’t have been good for me.
The author of Hebrews points out that God is not merciful forever. One day, he will return and judge all the earth for their sins. Those who are saved by Jesus’ grace will enter God’s eternal rest, and those who are not will go to everlasting torment. There is a limited amount of time during which God freely offers his gift of forgiveness. This is why it is so important to listen to God’s voice today. Not tomorrow, not next week. Today is when people should listen to God’s voice.
You may be reading this and feel assured in your salvation. I certainly hope you are, that you’ve listened to God’s voice. However, you should not become complacent. Have you ever pushed the limits, believing that God will forgive you for it? Or do you see limits as God’s way of restraining you from living a “fun life” instead of his abiding grace? Maybe you ignore the Holy Spirit’s warning voice because you believe there are no limits.
There is a reason God asked us to wait to have sex until marriage. There’s a reason that he asks us not to covet. The ten commandments are limits on our lives, even if we are no longer bound by them for salvation. God made them for a reason, and he wants us to live by his limits for a reason. God is not keeping you from a “fun life” by asking you to abide within his limits. If you don’t, you may find your life vomited all over the field.
Limits are not chains. They are bonds, like a wedding ring, to the one who loves us, cares about us, and wants what’s best for us. Listen to His voice today.
Let’s pray.
Dear Lord, please help me to stay within the limits you have made for me. Help me to know that those limits are there for a reason. I rest in your abiding grace. In Your Son’s Name, Amen.
P.S. I am the author of these books, and they are available in all formats: paperback, ebook, and audiobook! Thank you for your weekly support of Sip Saturday.
Thank you for sharing. We need to be reminded of this and to live today in God's limits. I needed to read this today.