God in a Box

This is something that has plagued my mind recently - why do we put God in a box? When did we (as in "us" - human beings) decide that we have the authority to say that someone cannot break the chains of addiction or that a "terminal" illness cannot be cured or that a person plagued by depression/anxiety will never know freedom and so on and so forth? If I know what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, then I know that the same God who raised the dead, made the blind see, healed the lame, cast out demons, parted the Red Sea and many, many more miracles is the same God we worship and serve today. There's no "that was then" God, "this is now" God. He clearly tells us in Malachi 3:6 "I the Lord do not change."

I have been guilty of this very thing in my life - thinking that things would never get better when life throws me a curve ball or judging someone for their shortcomings and believing that they would "never amount to anything." How hypocritical of me that I would judge someone in that way. Who am I to judge anyone when I, myself, sin every day?

It is my belief that we do not believe in these things because we do not have the physical being of Jesus here performing miracles before our very eyes.  To read about the miracles that He performed so many years ago is one thing, but to see it for ourselves...well, that's just totally different.  But why? Just because Jesus is now in Heaven and is not physically here on earth anymore, does not mean that God cannot and does not perform miracles every day. 

So this is where faith comes into play.  He tell us that if we have faith in our communication with Him, then we will receive - Matthew 21:22 says "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."  It's pretty much that simple! Just ask for it, have faith and watch what He does.  It may not be exactly the way you planned it, but trust that He will deliver on His promises. 

I propose that we (including myself) stop thinking the worst about life and start believing that He will work everything out for our good (Romans 8:28).  If we just believe and trust in Him, all our anxieties, fears, doubts and concerns about our present and future will be removed.  Let's quit putting Him in a box and start knowing without a shadow of a doubt that He can and will provide the very best for us in all situations.

Happy Thursday (aka Friday Eve, as I like to call it)!

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."