No Trespassing

A picture that explains a reality. How many times a day do I encounter this sign? I hit a road block and wonder what lies beyond it. Something sacred. A hidden place. But a like-minded statement says, "Don't trespass--you're not welcome here."

Funny enough, I imagine that I'm the person who runs into this boundary most often. It is definitely useful to keep others at bay, but I keep myself out, too. I live behind the rules--I'm good at abiding by them. I feel responsible to steward myself sensibly along their focused path. I regularly reestablish boundaries to protect myself. Some are healthy; some are not. They help me know where I am, what I should do, how I should behave. At times, I think I forget who I am as I try to live them so well. And, I let them define me. I let them limit me.

I picture the Lord approaching this boundary. I usually ask him to stop here, as well.

"Stand over there... I don't know what you'll do if you come in here. Safer to leave things the way they are," I say.

But I don't really mean it. And the thing is, I think He wants me to be free, but I keep going back to these standards that appeared along this path somehow. As if they would rescue me and show me how to live. As if...