We talk a lot about setting boundaries for our lives. While setting good and positive boundaries is wholesome, some boundaries are set for us when we allow unconfessed sin to define our lives. Those boundaries define a life given over to sin and rebellion limiting the influence of our lives to within a narrow place of spiritual slavery. We are the only ones who can rewrite those negative boundaries by choosing to live a life of freedom according to the commands of Scripture and the leading of God’s Spirit.  

When Israel and Judah abandoned God, they became oppressive to each other using greed and corruption to get their way. They employed false piety to justify their actions. As the Lord used Micah to confront their sin and address the consequences that would come from their choices, he made it clear that God’s restorative love never dies, even when our sin is great. The Lord gave ample opportunity for the people to repent before those consequences visited their lives. Even after experiencing the painful consequences of their sin, He would restore them in His great love.

In the rebellion of Israel and Judah, the Lord said that because of their unrepentant hearts, “Others will set your boundaries” (Micah 2:5). As a result, the people would become slaves to their sin allowing others of like mind to direct the course of their lives. This negative influence has not lessened over the years since Micah first penned his prophecy. Today, we are seeing the same thing happening when we do not allow God to set the boundaries of our lives and instead, choose to follow the values of a culture into deepening levels of sin without any challenge.

The people confronted Micah’s message. “Don’t say such things. Don’t prophesy like that. Such disasters will never come our way” (vs. 6). Micah responded by saying, “If you do what is right, you will find my words comforting” (vs. 7).

All confrontation of sin has a message of restoration attached as we suffer the consequence of that sin. When it seems like there is no way out from the constrictive boundaries of our sin, Scripture tells us, “Your king will lead you, the Lord himself will guide you” (vs. 13). If we have allowed the Lord to humble us, He will be faithful to lead us to a place of restoration. The gateway to that restoration is having a heart of humility that allows God, not the world or our undisciplined emotions, to set the boundaries of our lives. In that place, there is great freedom.