A line drawn in the sand.

There come certain times in life when closure is the way forward. One thing must finish before the next can begin, we refer to this as drawing a line in the sand. It is a wonderful concept that draws a gentle barrier between what has gone before and what is to come.

I suppose the greatest line drawn in the sand for the Christian is the cross where a barrier was not only broken down with sin being defeated but another line was set up that is a barrier between the old sinful life and the new creation that Jesus makes of His people. There is no re-crossing that line. Completion has been accomplished which means that forward is the only was to go.

I am reminded of the children of Israel who had come out of Egypt where they had been slaves for approximately 400 years. By using Moses God miraculously released Israel from the tyranny of Pharaoh and his people and had brought them to the shores of the sea. It was here that the all important line was drawn in the sand. Israel stepped out on the sand of the sea bed and walked into freedom from slavery. The line was drawn by God and could never be re-crossed. It was for Israel alone; others who tried to follow were drowned in the sea of judgement. The line was for God's people alone.

My line was drawn back in 1968 when I became a Christian, my old life was finished and a new life in Christ began. I neither want to go back over that line nor can I. God prevents all who are truly His to return to the original state and so the line is well and truly in place, but over the years there have been many other lines that I have had to draw.

Almost 40 years ago the line that divided singleness and marriage was drawn. On the 1^st June 1974 the line in the sand was drawn and Pam became lumbered with me and is still suffering from the promises that we made on that day. We thank God for the grace given that has kept us together all of these years despite many ups and downs on the way.

More lines were drawn when Jo, Elaine and Marie were born. New lines were drawn when jobs were changed due  to circumstances. Eventually Christian ministry beckoned and another important line was drawn. This involved a move the Midlands and South Wales and then last year another one between South Wales and Cornwall. We can never step over these lines again but life progresses and with many lessons having been learned on the way.

As we speak another line is about to be drawn and we are not at all sure of what is across the other side but what  we are sure of is as with all of the others there will be amazing opportunities and lessons that are just for us. God is good and gracious to us and as we make decisions before Him then we also see His grace being worked out in our lives in ways that are uniquely ours. It is an exciting prospect but also as with all of the other lines drawn it is daunting. There are many great things I am sure the other side of this line and we pray that there may be other lines to draw before the final one which is not drawn in the shifting sands of time but is drawn in heaven where the final curtain is lifted and we enter our own promised land.