You know what I am talking about here....no matter how long you've been a Christian, at one point or another, you've had your God Box. For some, the God Box looks like this: you go about life focused on your mission, work, family, fun, etc; then the day comes when something bad happens. A diagnosis, an auto-accident, something bigger than you can handle, and you frantically grab your God Box, open it and cry out in desperation for mercy in the situation. For others, the God Box is opened up more frequently. Perhaps when you wake up, or at least at the table over meals; you carefully open the box and respectfully address the Lord, almost as if you were speaking to the President. Once you have thanked Him and asked for your needs to be met, you close up the box and go about your day until the next prayer beckons for you to open the box again.
Many, dare I say, a majority of self proclaimed Christians save their God Box for a sacred day, known as the Sabbath. These folks live their life during their work week with little thought of God, or the fact that He gives them every breath and ability. Their God Box is the church. Whether it is out of legalism, a desire to appear holy to those around them, or a ploy to earn a little favor from the Man upstairs; If asked, they will stake their claim as a Christian, but the one and only fruit seen is consistent church attendance. In reality, the God Box doesn't exist. Scripture says in:
Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
The same is reiterated in Acts 7:49
God makes it clear that He is not subject to, nor contained by a building or in our case box. He is ever present and able to meet us wherever we are.
We also know from the Bible that we can come to God about any and everything without hesitation. Furthermore, this comes with an incredible result....
Php. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php. 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
At some point, I personally have lived just about each and every one of those God Box scenarios in my life. For the first time, I can now say that I no longer have a God Box. Let me explain...
When I was able to move beyond constant fear and terror of God's disappointment, and recognize the depth of His love for me, I entered into a "REAL-ationship" for the first time. I no longer am afraid to approach His Thrown. I no longer feel the need to mentally prepare my prayers first to insure they are good enough. I simply live each day as if God were sitting right by my side; with me in every circumstance I face; good, bad, or indifferent. It's funny now that I think of it, how often we choose to believe that because we can't see Him, or because we are not in a church building, that He's somehow distant and unaware. As if, He is so overburdened by the amount of people He cares for that it's either too much, or my issues are too insignificant for Him to care for. We try to humanize God's ability because His vastness and omnipresence are just a bit hard for us to comprehend. Yet in reality, He is the only being that can never fail us, never leave us, and never grow weary of hearing from us.
Heb. 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Heb. 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
He is the perfect Father. As a parent, my children bring me such joy. From the dandelions I get brought, to the handwritten cards, and the frequent hugs, I adore spending time with them. As with all humans, they make mistakes. They sometimes do naughty things that require stern discipline, yet never once, have their actions made me love them less. Furthermore, when my little ones come to me to just sit and chat, or to tell me about a dream they had, or a discovery they made in the yard, it blesses my heart. It builds a closer bond with them and it deepens our relationship. If I, being a sinful human, do not grow weary in hearing from and being with my children, how much more do you think our perfect Heavenly Father feels this way about us? He even talks about it in the Word.
Mat. 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
When He speaks of correcting us, He says,
Pro. 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro. 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
The Father didn't send His only begotten Son to reunite us to Him to have us put Him in a box. He did it out of His deep love for us. He doesn't want lifeless puppets just following rules to keep the master happy. He wants the bond like that of a parent and child. He wants to show us His incredible plan and the hope that we have. He wants us to know Him, like He knows us. Does He "need" our prayers to move? Does He "need" our fellowship to not be lonely? No, He doesn't, but He wants it. Prayer shows our lack of confidence in ourselves, and humbles us as we acknowledge our need for right direction. Prayer doesn't have to be formal. It can simply be a conversation about what's on your mind. But doesn't God already know what I'm thinking? Yes, He does, and prayer is our way of coming to sit on our Father's lap and tell Him our cares, express to Him our gratitude, and to create an open dialog with our Maker. God is available 24/7. He doesn't only show up on Sundays in the churches. He wants fellowship with us to be an on going ever present part of our lives.
Col. 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
What I have found is that the more time I spend with God, whether it be in prayer, study, singing, etc, the closer I feel to Him. I am more compelled to walk in the Spirit because although my body is physically here on this earth, my mind is set on things above. In Colossians we are told;
Col. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
We also know that fellowship with other believers is a component for spiritual health. These two verses come to mind:
Pro. 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Heb. 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Your Spiritual walk is personal, but it is not meant to be left hidden out of sight. We are to shine as lights in the world and encourage one another until the Glorious Day of our Lord's Return. This fellowship can and should be done in a myriad of ways. You can connect with other believers in person, on the phone or online. Jesus spoke in Matthew saying:
Mat. 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Since I've taken God out of the box, the fear that I used to struggle with often, has completely left. The guilt and distance I thought was there, are also long gone. My focus has shifted and my heart's desires have changed. It is my passion to share this hope with others and to see lives being changed by the power that only comes from above. So if you too have found yourself with a God Box, let me encourage you to start changing today. Your relationship with God will deepen when you take the time to study and be with Him. An easy read that can get you pointed in the right direction is a book called "How To Enjoy The Bible". Often the question asked by believers is where do I begin and how to do I understand the Bible? This e-book, available for free will be a great tool to get you moving in the right direction.
All His Blessings to you!
Kacy
