Boxes & Boxes

“He determines the number of stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.”
Psalm 147:4-5

We humans seem to have a love affair with putting stuff in boxes. We put ourselves in boxes, we put others in boxes, we let others put us in boxes and we put God in boxes. Boxes like fences, doors, chains are a way of limiting something. Sometimes putting a limit on something is a good thing – it is better to put hundreds of ping-pong balls in a box rather than have them all over the floor, which could be dangerous. Fences are good for keeping livestock safe and to manage grazing – you get the idea, sometimes things need to be limited. Have you ever noticed that when we put ourselves and others in some sort of box it is a negative thing – we somehow don’t measure up and those limitations whether self-imposed or imposed on us by someone else – limit who we are, what we can accomplish and sometimes it keeps us from the embrace of a loving God – who thinks we are amazing and who has plans for us that we cannot even fathom.

The problem is we also like to put God in a box. Now, it’s not that I think we can actually limit God by putting Him in whatever box we think He belongs in – because we can’t. I mean, really; He calls how many billions of stars by name? He can hold every drop of water on this planet in His hand. He who is love, power, spirit, and creator of everything is well and truly limitless. When we put God in a box – we don’t limit Him; we limit ourselves and who we can be in Him and with Him.

One time God put himself in a box – the box of humanity so He could show us that in His limitless understanding – that he understands us. He limited himself so that He could show us how to get out of the boxes that hold us back.

Never again will He place that limit on Himself and He is waiting for us to get out of our boxes to live the limitless lives He has for us, lives that will take us all the way to eternity with Him.

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for that one time that you put yourself in a box for the sake of our souls. Every day help us to get out of the boxes that we put ourselves in or that others put us in. Show us Your limitlessness even as we try to put you in our own boxes. When by your power we get out of our boxes, give us the grace to help others to get out of their boxes and to not to force anyone into a box. In the name of Jesus, who is too big to fit in any box, we pray – Amen.