Monday, May 19, 2008

Taking God out of the Box

OK... You know when you hear something over and over, and you begin to think maybe God is trying to tell you something. I have to share the latest thing I think God is saying to me.

"I WON'T FIT IN A BOX... LET ME OUT AND SHOW AND TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT!"

It started this past weekend when Greg decided to "clean" (the term is used loosely) the garage. Really it was just straighten the garage because his definition of "clean the garage" and my definition are two entirely different things.

So, Greg was "straightening" the garage... and he finally decided to get rid of all the empty boxes we had been saving since we moved in almost 2 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long). For some reason we thought we would use them again. But what do you really need large empty boxes for anyway... unless you are moving again... and we are not!

So there you go... the first "box" reference. What do you need boxes for? Are they useful for anything, or do they just take up space? Isn't it more fun to take something out of a box than to put something in a box... you know like at Christmas? Why do we hold on to boxes?

Then last night as I was putting the kids to bed they were making up songs. You know how kids change the words to songs they already know and then sing them. Spencer started to sing "Little Red Box." 

If you don't know this song go here. Unfortunately, I don't have video of my kid singing it, but you get the idea of the song. He changed the words to..
 
"I wish I had a little white box to put my Jesus in, I'd take him out and go Um Um Um and put him back again" (insert hugging motion on the Um Um's)
"I wish I had a little black box to put Satan in, I'd take him out and go Um, Um, Um and put him back again." (insert punching motion on the Um Ums :) )

Cute right, he's going to hug Jesus and punch out Satan. But the first thing I said to him was, "You can't put God in a box." 
"Why"
"Because he's too big, he won't fit." 

Then I proceeded to try to explain to a 4 and 8 year old all the reasons why we shouldn't put God in a box and what that means. Entirely too much of a conversation for them or me to comprehend right before bed. 

After putting the kids to bed, I was talking to my friend Carol and we were talking about our presentation at Glorietta in the fall. And it's called... you guessed it "Boxes." I'm not kidding.

Then, today, I was having a conversation with my friend Carol again. (BTW, we talk on the phone way too much ;) ) We were discussing how big God is and how we just can't understand Him. He is so powerful and can do anything but we try to limit him... we put Him in a box. Hmmm... I think I just told my kids we aren't supposed to do that.

Ok... I'm beginning to get the message. Then I came upstairs to read some blogs and clicked on 
Boo Mama. Her post today is on unboxing. Again, not kidding. She has some fabulous pics of unboxing one of her favorite things. Made me want to go snack. 

Now... Just imagine if we "unboxed" God and then took videos and pictures and told everyone about it... Now that would be something worth watching. Do you think it would make everyone else want to go "unbox" Him too?


12 comments:

LAURIE said...

I liked your post today about boxes. (I could get rid of a few of them around this place too!) I was thinking after I read your post how often we keep God in a box...and we hesitate to come out of our comfort zone when it comes to our christianity. It's easy to go to the exteme with our walk with the Lord with our "church" friends but how about those we work with or rub shoulders with that are unbeleivers? How extreme do we get? Do we keep our Christianity and our Lord under wraps? Maybe I will see about getting rid of some boxes (in my garage and in my spirit) - God bless, Laurie

Jenny said...

I with you on having boxes from moving and all your points where right on! I will have to ponder on "unboxing" God.

Heavens to Betsy, I think I unboxed "self" this weekend! Maybe I need to Unbox and Box! LOL

Carol said...

So good! So good! But then again I told you that on the phone when we talked yet AGAIN today! I'm not sure what you've been doing the past hour or so. I think I'll go call.

Beth Cotell said...

What an interesting though! Unboxing God...hmmmm...

Melanie said...

Hmm.. this really gives me alot to think about, Amy. I'm afraid I probably try to put God in a box more often than I care to admit.

Have a great week!

ocean mommy said...

Loved Boomama unboxing that wonderful cheese cracker. :)

Our Chattanooga pastor once did a sermon on taking God out of the box. He preached the majority of the time in a refrigerator box. It was incredible. The visual really hit home with me.

Mocha with Linda said...

Oops, thought I commented and I realized it didn't "take".

I like unboxing God better than the other.

Never heard of it until I clicked on BooMama. Only in America. The excess of excess. Beyond weird.

Jenifer said...

I find myself sometimes crawling in a box afraid of the wide open fields God has placed me in the middle of and wondering if He knows what in the world He's doing. I have come to realize that He never places me somewhere and then leaves me there to figure things out on my own. He already knows how it's all going to work out. Praise Him!

Blessings,
Jenifer

Kimberly said...

He can do anything and everything. He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ever ask for or even think of. Hmmmmm...so why do I freak out and get all crazy anxious? Perhaps I, too, should take Him out of the box!

Great post, Amy!

Wifeof1Momof4 said...

Yes, we simply MUST keeo God out of the box or else we will never know what He has in store for us. He has our best interest at heart and knows what is best, but we simply have to LET GO and LET GOD!

I am so guilty of trying to keep the lid on the box because it is "safe", but have been blown away when I "let" God do His thing.

It is so much better than what I could have created.

Thank you for the reminder.

Cheri said...

What a great message, to unbox God and share him. Loved this.

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

Good post! I love how God speaks to us and love that you shared it.