Foundational Boundaries

    A strong foundation is vital in every aspect of life.  Without a strong foundation in certain areas it is a guarantee that it will crumble under pressure.  We need a strong spiritual, emotional, familial, physical, and mental foundation.  

    When you are well balanced despite any handicaps you may have, then you can move out in life with confidence.  We all have handicaps.  I have lung/ allergy issues, private struggles, and feel weak more than I would like.  However, when life feels like it would defeat me, I go back to God for the reminder that He is my strength.  When I can't do it anymore on my own, I give it to Him.

    The Hebrews had prepared.  They were balanced and ready to move forward into the unknown.  They had a plan.  They had God.  They had experience.  They had a strong balanced foundation to move forward.  Now they were making boundary lines to avoid any conflict in the future over land. 

    The boundary lines also clarified where they needed to go and who would be able to settle down in a flexible timeline.  The leaders were appointed.  Joshua would be the replacement of Moses, so he was the leader for the other leaders.  The other leaders were respectable men known for their foundation in God: Caleb, Shemuel, Elidad, Bukki, Hanniel, Kemuel, Eli-zaphan, Paltiel, Alihud, and Pedahel.  They received the inheritance and were in charge of distribution among their clan.  Joshua was over his clan and the Levites did not get actual land because they would be distributed among the tribes.

    A life without boundaries had no solid or strong foundation.  Boundaries are vital to tell us where we are willing to go in certain areas in life and where we will not venture.  It can be hard to uphold personal boundaries because some things may appear harmless or you have people you respect telling you to go further than your boundaries.  Remember that you set the boundaries for where you are in life.  As you grow in your relationship you can stretch or change some of the boundaries, but not all.  They are there for a reason.