"Fences"

It was just a little visit,

From my neighbor’s bull,

He didn’t speak no English,

But he saw my pens were full,

Of heifers and he liked ‘em,

Came to see what he could find,

Guess he never even wondered,

If I cared or paid him mind.

But you see he is a Holstein,

And a pop-eyed one at that,

And not the sire I’m needin’,

To make a baby calf,

So I called up my good neighbor,

And he promised he would come,

And get his bull manana,

And when it’s said and done,

Nothing really happened.

There was no bovine date,

And he’ll be gone tomorrow,

If my neighbor isn’t late.

They say to have good neighbors,

You need fences good and tight,

And I think there’s wisdom,

In getting them just right.

A boundary has a reason,

Keeps everything real clear,

And God has rules to follow,

To keep us safe and without fear.

And if we cross his fences,

He helps us get back in,

‘Cause outside His boundaries,

We find ourselves in sin.

The forgiveness Jesus died for,

And the Spirit’s power near,

Is all to get us gathered,

From out there to back in here.

So come on back, my brother,

And sister, you come too,

It’s in the Savior’s pasture,

That we find a life that’s true.

“So that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in u s, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4, NAS)

God’s rules stand, but we have all broken them. As believers in Jesus we have received forgiveness but more than that, we're empowered by the Spirit to live out God’s will. When we do, everything that God commanded will be fulfilled by us, not because we’re trying so hard, but because the Spirit is filling our lives. When we don’t walk according to the flesh it means we are choosing to die to ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to live the life of Jesus through us. God’s boundaries are honored by Spirit-filled people.

Lord, empower us to live righteously, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bruce Greene, used by permission. Thanks, Bruce, and God bless you.