BOUND [Advent Day 2]

What is the first thought in your head when you hear the word BOUND?

My good friend Melanie Gillchrist ( www.bluemarblegod.com) enlightened her readers today about contranyms - words that have contradictory meanings. There are very few such words in the English language
BOUND is one of them.

I remember my grandmother using the word this way: You had to know that was BOUND to happen or If you do (such and such), you better know (blah blah) is BOUND to happen.

Maybe someone in your life uses BOUND the same way?

Almost always, the phrase had a negative context.

That is the context in which I heard the word in my head this morning...restricted, limited, held down.

Immediately came thoughts of what binds me. In today's picture, the result of a lawn tractor accident are quite visible. Does that disfigurement bind me, emotionally and/or physically?

What else has binding chains? Finances, unhealthy eating habits, lack of trust in God's plan, complacency about spiritual disciplines...should my confession continue?

Maybe you thought I was talking about you...

Today is the second day of Advent, the preparation time leading up to Christmas. 
One of the most comforting, and confronting, aspects of Jesus' personality is that he was never BOUND by negative stuff. Worry, jealousy, anger, bitterness, short-temper...not a part of His world.

But Jesus was BOUND.
By peace.
By contentment.
By love.
By discipline.
By commitment to the Father's will...
And I like to think that the most visible way He was BOUND was by joy. In all circumstance, BOUND by a joy that gives strength.

That is the kind of BOUND I want to be! By joy that is pressed down, shaken down, running together, poured in my lap in overflowing fashion.

Maybe you do too?


I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word.  

You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!