“Life within limits — the boundaries of the seasons — mirrors the life within limits our Father grants. When we live where we are, we remember what we often forget: there is so much to see here, so much to consume. We twenty-first century humans . . . climb into the worlds we see on our screens while forgetting our backyards and the life therein.”- Sara Hagerty
“You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.”- Psalm 74:17 (ESV)
In Chapter 3 (“Storied: Our Unexamined Perspective”) of The Gift of Limitations, Sara Hagerty observes how often we miss the wonder in front of us for the promise of something different elsewhere. Hence, we find ourselves blind to the wonder in front of us. Because we exchange that view for something that we believe feels limitless. But our ideal situation comes filled with restraints. Thus, we look at the picket fence as our nemesis. Not where we find paradise.
Most significantly, Sara asserts, our culture celebrates shortcuts. As a result, our society despises the life of slow growth and inconsequential movement. And as we adopt that stance, we come to view our limits in the same way.
However, God’s endcapped our lives — birth to death. In addition, He gave us parameters within those endcaps. Above all, it’s impossible to optimize the life and daily assignments God gives. Eugene Peterson explains this in his book, Practice Resurrection. He writes:
“Maturity cannot be hurried, programmed, or tinkered with. There are no steroids available for growing up in Christ more quickly. Impatient shortcuts land us in the dead ends of immaturity.”
In conclusion, Sara agrees, we’re often act like immature adolescents who desire the ‘free’ life, but not yet aware of the house benefits God’s given us. And this gap in understanding traces all the way back to the Garden of Eden.
Even with different histories, we share the human craving to live outside the garden limits. Consequently, each of us possesses a story that enflamed our curiosity to touch what we were told not to touch. In turn, that made us covet what lives outside our fence lines.
Today’s question: How do the boundaries of the seasons mirror the life within limits the Father gives? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: the May Short Meditation, “The sure foundation and cornerstone”
