We each have a box.

Our box is the acceptable confines and structure we live out of. My box has a mixture of culture, childhood, and opinions that lead me to view the world in specific ways. My box has walls, they hold in the things I think are safe, understandable, and comforting. Have you heard someone use this expression, "That's outside of my box."

What's in your box?

I have many things inside my box. For instance, my box says; nothing good comes from tragedy, everyone must go to a foreign country at least once in their life, God probably won't ever use me for the miraculous, etc. The walls of my box help me define the circumstances of life. They become a way for me to make safe, and understandable sense out of what happens. But, tension arises when something doesn't fit within it. More than ever I'm not convinced that this is the way I was created to live. Perhaps my box is more of a hindrance then a help. Perhaps it would be more valuable to answer this question: "What is outside of my box?

Boxes naturally exclude. They are limited. The reasoning for a box can start out well meaning to exclude worthless things, but end up limiting God. Where does your box limit God?

Look at this simple yet profoundly powerfully passage below . I preface it simply by saying; there was a man who had a box. Then Jesus showed up.

"How do you know me? Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, " I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

I think Nathanael is like you and I. We expect too little of God. It wouldn't be that incredible of a story to tell his buddies. They would all say, "Wow, cool." and that would be it. But Jesus not only wanted to open Nathanael's box he wanted to obliterate it with his next statement.

""Jesus said, " You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."" (John 1:48-51)

We're far too easily content to add to our box a few "cool stories" of what God has done. They are the stories that aren't too outlandish or unbelievable. These neat stories are safe enough. They won't make us sound too crazy. There won't be much risk involved. Meanwhile God is wanting to open the heavens! He is ready to reveal his power, glory, and obliterate our box! He wants to show us who he really is and what he can really do. But we're to concerned about whether it fits in our box or not.

It won't be "safe", I may sound crazy, and it might cost me comfort. But, I think I'm ready. I don't want to have a box and put God in it anymore. Obliterate my box God! I want to go get in yours.

- Josh