The Boundary Lines Have Fallen in Pleasant Places

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken

Psalm 16:6-8

I have been aware of this verse since 1985 when my dad’s job transferred us to Pleasant Hill, California after living in the Pacific Northwest my entire life, the summer before my SENIOR year of high school.  Needless to say I was not a happy camper! My mom assigned me to find a verse that would be our rock of assurance that we were being sent to a good place.  Through a concordance search, I found this passage that I could stretch my brain around applying to my situation…although I was still decidedly less than enthusiastic nonetheless. The application mainly centered around the commonality of the word pleasant — not that I was actually convinced that it was actually pleasant or held anything good for my future.

 Although I eventually made some friends and achieved graduation status, it was never really “home.” Not where I wanted to set down roots, get intensely emotionally connected to.  I hadn’t had that since we moved from Wenatchee, Washington when I was 10, after living there in all my conscious memory. I didn’t have it again until we moved to Hillsboro almost 15 years ago.  I have now lived here longer than I have lived ANYWHERE in my entire life, consecutively or otherwise. THIS IS HOME!

I still like to visit my ancestral family stomping grounds. I have good memories there. But, I always want to come home again–and home is HERE! God promised it to me when I moved here. I’m taking Him at His word, that He hasn’t changed His mind. For me and my family, this truly is the pleasant place where He has surrounded us with such a heritage of goodness and blessing, in spite of our ongoing crises of late — there is NO WAY I am moving out of my Promised Land just as God is preparing us to cross our personal Jordan and bring us in to take possession of the inheritance He has given us and call it our own for good!

He is busy doing good things on our behalf and I believe with all my heart that we will soon set our boundary lines firmly within the land where He has sent and placed and purposed us to be.  We are on the verge of seeing all good things come to fruition. Now is NOT the time to retreat in fear and doubt! May I be bold, strong and courageous like Caleb and Joshua, holding fast to the assurance that God is able and willing to do as He has promised and deliver even that which seems intimidating and impossible; and not the ten spies who let the apparent obstacles before them shake their faith in an almighty God, faithful, true and able to bring about blessing upon blessing for those who remain faithful and rely on His power, giving Him all the glory for the victory. 

LORD, let me be counted among the faithful, keeping my eyes and my heart focused on You to bring about our victory and not relying on my own cleverness, wits, strength or power. You alone will bring us into our Promised Land. So chase away any doubts or fears or anxieties caused by temporary setbacks and the doubts of others that masquerade as common sense but belie a lack of trust in You and Your ability to do as You have said You will do on our behalf.  You alone are my Strength and Shield. I hope only in You. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Blessings!

Tamara Christine

Be strong and courageous for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

I am NOT ashamed for I know in Whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to Him until that day. 2 Timothy 1:12