The God Box............ Wednesday night service

There's nothing Holy about the box. It's just a simple 5" X 3"X 4 " teak wood box. But it's what it represents that can be therapeutic as well as devine.

In most 12 step programs a Key element of success is the term "Let go Let God". Meaning; there are some things bigger than you that you are going to have to trust God to handle. (or if you're PC, your "Higher Power") As the song goes

"What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privelidge to carry
Everything to God in prayer

Oh what joy we often forfeit
Oh what needless pain we bear
all because we do not carry
Everything to God in Prayer"

A Christian understands that God controls all. God is omnipotent (all powerful) Omniscient (all knowing) and Omipresent (everywhere) A Christian learns to trust God with those issues beyond our circle of control. James writes in the new testament:

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

This is the faith Jesus talked about when he mentioned the faith the size of a mustard seed moving mountains into the ocean. The God Box Idea is a phyical representation of letting go of a problem and handing it to God. You write down your prayer request. Stick it in the box, and trust that God will resolve your issue. As humans, we like to "solve" problems as part of our survival instinct. The Idea of "faith" contradicts that practice. With faith, we could possibly percieve ourselves as helpless and vulnerable when relying on the unseen for results. But that is by definition what faith is. So the Idea of writing, putting and trusting is much easier and reassuring than kneeling in prayer day after day until the issue is resolved. AND the physical action can support your spiritual faith. It's like putting your ATM card in an ATM machine. You expect to see the 20's kicking out. But without the physical insertion of the card, even though the cash is in there, you won't see any results. In a way, that's how the God box works. Putting the request in writing and in paper does something for your subconcious mind that strengthens your spiritual faith. There's nothing more you can do. BUT you must be prepared to accept God's response. You can't say Lord I want you to help me as long as it's the help that I'm asking for. That's the double minded man that James goes on to talk about.

I remember applying for a loan. I had to show the loan officers that I was good for the money. I guess my total worth factored into how much money they were willing to loan me. So I filled out the application and submitted it not knowing if I was going to get the full amount I was asking for. Again, I was prepared to recieve what the loan company felt was best for me. The same mentality needs to be employed when approaching God in prayer. You need to understand that God knows what is best for you. He might shower you with physical blessings beyond what you asked for; or he may make you wait. Both would be according to what God knows is best for you in your situation. That's where trust is a valuable friend.

I think it was Garth Brookes that wrote the song "Some of God's best blessings are unanswered prayers". Of course God answers all prayers, just not the way we want them answered. NO is an answer. And many times denying us what we think is right for us is actually God saving us from damnation.

The God box is a useful tool. I like the poem that goes:

When your head starts to Worry
And your mind just can't rest
Put your thoughts down on paper
And let God do the rest

God can handle our simple human problems much easier than we can.

Trust HIM.

Here's a link to a vender that makes specific Boxes. But any ol' cigar box or jewelry box works.