God and His box

Have you ever heard the expression "putting God in a box"? I've heard it millions of times, usually from people describing others' conservative views in contrast to their progressive attitude.

This expression irks me primarily because of the condescension with which it is said, but also because of the glaring reality that WE ALL put God in a box. Our finite minds cannot fully grasp an infinite God. In His grace, He allows us to put handles on the dimension of His Being, to create rules or patterns for His behavior, to set boundaries to define our ideas about Him.

Just occasionally, though, He challenges those ideas. He pushes at the walls of our box just enough to wake us up. He reminds us that He is the Living God. He's done this a lot for me over the last year or so. With my walls being nudged, I find I'm presented with three options. The first option would be to resist - to ignore the movement of God outside my walls, to assume that the pressure against those boundaries is coming from outside and not within; to maintain my box as is. The second option would be to move my box; to respond to challenges by assuming my first box was wrong and move it to the left and treat former moves of God as passe. The third option is the one I'm shooting for. I think God's real purpose in challenging the walls of my box is to expand my views. Maybe that wall needs to be pushed out a little more and maybe those mysterious and kind of scary 'moves of God' could be given a chance. Maybe my friendships with those people should stay open even if I'm uncomfortable. But I should never stop listening for that still small Voice that has always guided me even if it is passe. Some things are Unchanging. Steadfast. Faithful. Those ways God has worked in the past are still valid today. God is so cool. God is so BIG. :)