When we Put god in a box!

by Rebecca Vickery

      Have you ever tried to find God by looking for him the way he showed up for someone else?
We look at the way that God answered a friend’s prayer and we think, ok, so I will pray the
same prayer and he will heal so and so. We see how God provided for a neighbor and think he
will provide in the same way for us. And while it is true that God will hear our prayers, and it is
true that God will provide, he rarely ever does the same thing the same way.
 
     Looking at the whole of scripture as an overview, you can see that God interacts with each
person uniquely. He doesn’t make Noah’s wife out of Noah’s side. He doesn’t call Abraham to
make a large boat. He doesn’t wrestle with Joseph in the dessert. He doesn’t put Moses in a
place of favor inside of prison. He doesn’t have Joshua rescued from the reeds in a riverbed.
I’m going to guess that he didn’t call you while you were in the Czech Republic on a student
exchange program. The way he speaks to you is not going to be the same way he speaks to me.
But even the way he speaks to us will not be the same every time.
 
     In the book of 2 Samuel, after David has become King, it tells of how David went to ask
guidance of the Lord.  

     Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;    so David inquired of
the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”
So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out,
the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal
Perazim.   The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
2 Samuel 19-21

     A bit later, the same kind of thing transpires, but this time, instead of deciding the course of
action based on God’s previous instruction, David asks the Lord again and the Lord gives him a
different instruction on how to proceed.
 
     Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;   so David inquired
of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack
them in front of the poplar trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the
poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to
strike the Philistine army.” So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the
Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. 2 Samuel 22-25

     We are not given a formula to live by besides draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
(Wash your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts you double minded.) James 4:8 He tells us
in Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible
things you do not know.” In the TV show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” they had a phone a
friend option. How amazing is it that our “phone a friend” is the Lord of Hosts? We can
approach the throne of the King of kings and the Lord of lords boldly and he will answer us. He
will answer us in a way that is unique to us.

     Now I do not mean to say that the Lord is going to tell us to do something that will violate his
word. We need to test the spirits as it says in 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit,
but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out
into the world.” But if we treasure God’s word in our heart, we are building a vocabulary by
which to hear from and understand God’s leading.
     
     We can expect to hear from God. We can expect God to provide for us. We ought to be
growing in our trust and learning how to interact with God. But we ought to be interacting with
God. The reason that many believers emphasize that Christianity is about a relationship is
because it is just that. God doesn’t want you to have someone else’s relationship with him, he
wants US to relate to him. We are to approach his throne, not just allow our Pastors and elders
to do it for us.
     What needs do you have? Bring them to the Lord. What struggles do you face? Bring them to
the Lord? What joys do you have? Bring them to the Lord. What relationships are broken or
are breaking you? Bring them to the Lord. Every burden. Every struggle. Every triumph. Every
single thing. Bring it to the Lord. Use honest words.
     
      Lord I am hurting and I need you to heal me. Lord I am tired and I need you to give me rest.
Lord I am so happy and I wanted to rejoice with you. Lord I am sad and I need you to restore
my joy. Lord I am _____. Fill in that blank. And then be aware that The Lord is the great I AM.
So whatever you are, He is sufficient for you. His power made perfect in your weakness.
Whatever you are, The Lord is I AM and he will meet you where you are. May these words
bring peace to your troubled hearts. Amen.