Your God-Shaped Box Can’t Even Fit Me
We’ve all heard the expression. There are many variants of it, but they all sound something like “You can’t put God in a box.” The concept is that people try limiting who God is by restricting Him to their comparably small imaginations. We have to admit, it’s hard to try and define who and what God is using only our limited intelligence, experience, and imagination.
After all, He hasn’t only existed since the beginning of time, he created time and therefore was before there was time. He created all of creation and therefore was before there was anything created. He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresent (all places). There is no limit to His mercy, His grace, His patience, His goodness, His truth, and of course His love.
Read: Learning to Love Daily Repentance
All of this is to try and illustrate the unimaginable magnitude of the God I serve. So, saying all that, how can someone possibly limit the true and living God with their own small, frail, mortal intellect? The truth is, no one can. He can not and will not be contained.
“ ‘Heaven is my throne,and the earth is my footstool.What kind of house will you build for me?says the Lord.Or where will my resting place be?Has not my hand made all these things?’
Acts 7:49-50
Potential
Now that I have defined how it’s impossible to contain God in or even define God by our limited boxes, I would like to propose the notion that…
Your God-Shaped Box Can’t Even Fit Me
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
A very well known verse. Many recite this passage with the belief that “all things” means ALL things. Let me ask you this when you read the ten commandments, do you see a list of things you can do, or a list of things you “Shalt NOT” do?
The Philippians verse tells us that anything that is within God’s will for us is possible for us. And since it is God’s will, it is actually expected of us. And since it is expected of us, He will equip us to carry out His will.
The Really Good Part
Now, for those who still don’t think that this applies to you, listen to this…
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:12-14
Did you just hear what Jesus said to YOU? He did during His time on this planet, YOU can do, AND even greater things. Every miracle, every blessing, every rebuke, every loving touch, every hungry mouth feed, every grave robbed, we as Christians can do that too, and even GREATER things. What is His will for us to be doing? How far can you imagine expanding God’s Kingdom?
How many lives can you change? Or, how can you impact that one lost, lonely, afraid, broken, sick, hungry life that is standing right in front of you? You, the one who is called by Christ’s name, the one who Christ Himself calls a friend, the one who was bought at a VERY high price, can reach out to that one person and change their life.
Please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying any of this to say how great I am. I am but a broken man myself, a man in desperate need of a Savior. Through my own power, I can do nothing.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
But the incredible thing is that God’s promise for us doesn’t stop at salvation. We can do the works He has done, and even greater.
Trash Day
So, it’s time to throw out your tiny little box and the tiny little god that lives inside it. Read your Bible, get to know the God who can change your life, and change lives through you, all while holding this fragile, spinning universe together.
This article was originally published at BrianCaruthers.com.
Brian Caruthers has been blogging and podcasting since 2010. He has a passion and desire to help others in their faith journey. He hopes to inspire and motivate Christian men to seek a closer relationship with Christ with his writings.
