Numbers 34:6-12: a reflection

6“‘For the western border, you shall have the great sea and its border. This shall be your west border. 7“‘This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for yourselves Mount Hor. 8From Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the border shall pass by Zedad. 9Then the border shall go to Ziphron, and it shall end at Hazar Enan. This shall be your north border. 10“‘You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham. 11The border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain. The border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward. 12The border shall go down to the Jordan, and end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders around it.’”

God describes the borders of the land he is giving Israel as their inheritance: the western border at the great sea, the northern, eastern, and southern lines marked out point by point. It reads like a surveyor's description, and to us the place-names are unfamiliar. But behind the boundaries is a truth worth seeing: God himself defined the inheritance he gave his people, marking out its borders, giving them a definite portion, a place that was theirs.

Notice that God set the boundaries of his people's inheritance. He did not leave the land undefined, but marked out its borders, giving Israel a specific portion, neither more nor less than what he appointed. The inheritance had shape and limits set by God; it was a defined gift, a place he assigned to them. God is a God who apportions, who gives his people a definite portion and marks its bounds.

That points to a comfort about the portion God gives each of us. We do not choose the full shape of our lives, our circumstances, our gifts, our limits; in his providence, God marks out the bounds of the portion he gives us, as he marked the borders of Israel's land. Our lot has a shape set by him. Rather than resenting the boundaries of your portion, or coveting a portion not given to you, trust that God has apportioned wisely what is yours. He who set the borders of Israel's inheritance sets the bounds of your life and lot; receive the portion he has given, with its particular shape and limits, as from his hand, and be content within the bounds he has wisely marked out for you, rather than straining after what lies beyond them.

Lord, you described the borders of the land you gave Israel, marking out its boundaries point by point, giving them a definite portion that was theirs. Show me the comfort in that about the portion you give each of us. I do not choose the full shape of my life, my circumstances, my gifts, my limits; in your providence, you mark out the bounds of the portion you give me, as you marked the borders of Israel's land. My lot has a shape set by you. Rather than resenting the boundaries of my portion, or coveting a portion not given to me, help me trust that you have apportioned wisely what is mine. You who set the borders of Israel's inheritance set the bounds of my life and lot; help me receive the portion you have given, with its particular shape and limits, as from your hand, and be content within the bounds you have wisely marked out for me, rather than straining after what lies beyond them. Help me trust your apportioning, Lord, and rest content in my portion.