Lou and I were driving down the New Jersey turnpike one wintry afternoon on the way home from a doctors appointment. We didn't have any solutions for my health issues and long term reality was setting in. As I sat quietly listening to music and looking out the window I noticed the trees along the side of the road. The trees were completely bare. The branches were all tangled, twisted, jagged and dark. Even though they were technically ugly the bigger picture was actually beautiful! God had created a world that was full of random, unique, contrasting, abstract, and cluttered pieces coming together in splendid harmony. Even when I thought of things that God's creatures made the only ones to make a BOX was man.
Ironic! We then spend our whole lives trying to invent ideas outside of the BOX . Think outside the BOX. Design buildings outside the BOX. All we have really mastered is the art of making BOXES.
I realized that I had put God in a BOX! My BOX was limited by what I thought was humanly possible, or I could explain, understand, or what I had experienced.
That day in the car God
reminded me that He was not bound by my BOX. He was in the business of doing things far more complex than I could ever begin to understand. He was the author of beautiful controlled chaos. When my concept of what I thought was possible was maxed out He was just getting started. He would never order my life in logical, predictable, or common ways. He was much to creative for that. However, He would always work in a ways that would be beautiful and true to His signature.
Today I am still living with ALS. His master plan has not been to heal me, YET. However, a week doesn't go by when I don't find myself saying, "That's not normal." I am seeing daunting problems solved in the most amazing ways. God is literally blowing the corners of my BOX apart. He is proving over and over that He has the power and wisdom to work beyond my wildest dreams!
Numbers 11:23 (NIV)
"The Lord answered Moses, 'Is the Lord’s arm too short?
Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.'”
God Will Make a Way by Don Moen