Several years ago, when the boys were much younger, we had two puppies. Early one morning, they somehow escaped, and Braxton, who was nine at the time, wound up chasing Cocoa and Rascal around the yard. By the time he got them back in the pen, his bare feet were wet from the dew, and he was shaking from the cold, but the puppies were safe. 

Even though the pen was a nice size, they had gotten used to running all over our 5-acre lot and then some. It’s the “then some” that got them in trouble. They got into our flowerbeds and our neighbor’s yards. They came through the cat door into the garage and stole our shoes. We found things in our yard that clearly weren’t ours. They even ran into the road. For their own good, those puppies needed boundaries.

Boundaries are important…for puppies and for us too. Christianity isn’t about rules. It’s about a relationship with God’s son, Jesus Christ. But God’s Word is like our security fence. When combined with prayer, it helps us to discern directions for life, where we should and shouldn’t go, what is harmful and what is beneficial, what will get us in trouble and what will lead to blessings.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.” 

Unfortunately, one of our puppies didn’t make it to adulthood. Cocoa simply would not stay within the fence and, as a result, he eventually lost his life. We too have that choice. God will not force us to open His Word, let alone obey it. Of course, if we choose to live over the edge, there will also be consequences.

There is a story of a park ranger who had taken a group on a wilderness hike. He and the hikers became so engaged with the scenery that the constant reports coming across his two-way radio proved distracting. Eventually, he turned it off. Upon nearing their destination, they were met by a concerned look-out who asked the ranger why he had not responded to the dispatcher. Unbeknownst to the group, they were being stalked by a grizzly. What they had considered a distraction had actually been a life-saving message.

The Bible tells us that we too have a predator, Satan, who is trying to devour us! Too often we see God’s Word as a distraction, something we can take care of later. In doing so, we choose to be like the puppies, constantly wandering into danger. We choose to be like the hikers, so distracted by everything else, that we fail to listen. If we continue to ignore God’s Word, we will not only miss God’s best for our lives, we will also be unprepared when danger comes our way.

The Bible is not a list of rules just waiting to be broken. It is a vital, life-saving message, God’s love letter to His people. This year, let’s train ourselves to read and obey God’s Word so that we can live full, safe, and meaningful lives.

Check out The PSALMS Method of Bible Study, a free resource to help you establish a daily quiet time with the Lord.