We were at Niagara Falls recently, and one vantage point we enjoyed was on the American side in which an elevated platform held us about seven or eight stories (I would guess) above the falls and the Niagara River. As we climbed the stairs and walked out on the platform, Kris, my dear husband, moved farther and farther away from the exterior edge. He confessed that his knees were getting wobbly and he was feeling dizzy. He kept saying, “My mind envisions what it would be like without that guardrail, and how far we would fall.” On the other hand, I love heights, so I was going right to the edge and looking over the chest-high railing without any concern that I might be blown off or the railing may give way. A godly friend who was on the platform with us wisely noted, “People forget that boundaries bring us freedom.”

Wow! Boundaries bring us freedom. God established laws for us so that we would be free to worship and serve without fear of whether or not we’re fulfilling His will. From the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20 to Paul’s and Peter’s exhortations in their epistles, we have boundaries of behavior, thought, and attitude that are given to us so that we can have freedom within those boundaries to please God and show our needy world of God’s love.

Some of us like to push those boundaries to see how close to the world we can get without totally ruining our relationship with Christ, but that’s really like climbing part-way over the railing at Niagara Falls. Yes, we may still be holding onto the thing that protects us, but we’re not nearly as safe as we would be within the confines of the guardrail. And the winds of sin and false doctrine can easily sweep us away from that protecting force, if we are not within its boundaries (Eph. 4:14).

However, when we remain behind the fencing (obeying God’s laws—both Old and New Testament), we can enjoy our Christian life; we can appreciate the view. We don’t have to fear that we’re going to displease our Savior or ruin our testimony for Him. Ephesians 5:15 comes to mind: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise….” Walking “circumspectly” literally means walking diligently, exactly, or perfectly. Staying on the right spiritual path and staying within the railed walkways of God’s law show diligence and bring us closer to perfection. Staying in God’s boundaries gives us freedom to love and serve our Lord as we should.

So, when your children ask why you make them obey so many rules, or when you question in your own heart why God has given us so many commands to obey, remember that boundaries really are there to give you freedom!