Published by admin on 30 Dec 2011
GOD IN A BOX
We have often heard the term “think outside the box”. But when it comes to dealing with God, do we “think outside the box”, or do we put Him in a box? We read in Genesis 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
It seems clear to me that God did not put mankind in a box, so to speak, when He gave man dominion over all the earth. God fellowshipped with Adam each day, and it would be interesting to know what all they talked about. Think about it, Adam was the ruler over all the earth. And when God created Eve for his help-mate, then the two of them ruled together. The only rule they had was to leave the tree of knowledge of good and evil alone. But of course, they didn’t, and that first act of disobedience cost Adam and Eve their place in the Garden of Eden. And it’s never been like it was in the beginning ever again.
Even though, thousands of years later, Christ Jesus redeemed mankind from sin, fellowship with God was forever changed by man’s disobedience. Not from God’s point of view, mind you, but from man’s point of view. I’m sure Adam never had to wonder if God loved him, or where his next meal would come from. God spoke to him every day, and don’t you know, there were no misunderstandings between them. Perfect communion, perfect fellowship, perfect understanding. Why can’t it be that way today? Perhaps you can tell me? Didn’t Christ Jesus destroy the veil between God and man? Yes, He did. Then what’s the problem?
The problem isn’t with the redemption, Christ Jesus did it perfectly; the problem is man’s perception of what He did for us. Plain and simple,. For those who receive the sacrifice Christ Jesus made on the cross, He restores them to the place of fellowship with the heavenly Father like Adam enjoyed before sin. Their full authority and dominion over all the earth is restored unbroken. They can ask what they will of the Father, and it will be given them, just like in the beginning……EXCEPT…you might say. Except WHAT? What did Jesus not redeem us from? Why are we trying to put God in a box and limit what He redeemed us from? Did He not redeem us from the curse? Did He not redeem us from eternal death? Did He not redeem us from every disease? Did He not redeem us from our sins? Yes to all. Yet, the way we act, we have no confidence whatsoever in our redemption. We pray completely unlearned prayers, saying for example, Lord, forgive my sins if it’s Your will. Heal me from sickness if it’s Your will, Lord, provide my daily bread if it’s Your will. How we’ve put God in a box, and a very tiny one at that, by having not only so little knowledge of His will (don’t we ever read the Bible?), and so little trust in His integrity (Has He ever lied to you?).
The reason we suffer so from sickness, from worry, and sadness, is that we have put God in a box, and made Him of not much consequence. Imagine how it must hurt His heart, knowing how very much He loves us, and how little trust we have in His mercy, and how little trust we have in His salvation and deliverance from all that would harm us. Imagine, if you will, a world where God is permitted to live outside the tiny box we put Him in, where He can be God once again, like He was in Adam’s day before sin ever occurred, and we can be His children living in fullness of joy. Imagine your life without consciousness of guilt and sin, without sickness or fear or worry. Imagine living life outside the box you have created for yourself, in the fullness of God’s love.
You can have that life. He’s a big God, and He has a big life planned for you, way better than you could ever imagine! But as long as you keep God in a box, you’ll always be bigger than He is, He will always be limited in what He can do for you, and you’ll always be trying to deliver yourself from your troubles, your sins, and your sicknesses. Do yourself a favor, start thinking “outside the box”.