Abba in the Box

Abba in the Box

Was thinking about my newest granddaughter this morning, how she is at that stage of infancy where all things bright and shiney attrack her attention. She is gaining more and more control of her hands, her fingers. Everything she is able to grab hold of must be brought to her mouth, where she tests for taste and texture. Could be the cat's tail as it passes by ... or the finger of one of her family members ... but all toys and items freely given her must receive the taste test. My thoughts evolved to other common toys that have been around for centuries, such as the Jack-in-the Boxes. How those little boxes have delighted kids for ages! One winds the handle, which plays a little tune, and at a moment unknown, Jack pops out to the delight and surprise of all. Sometimes Jack doesn't pop out when he should. I remember trying to force "Jack" to pop out, even to the point of trying to pry open the lid.

 Those who profess belief in God sometimes treat Him like a Jack-In-The Box toy. He is set on a shelf, maybe even hidden away with the rest of our toys somewhere. We busily go about doing "His Work" and on occassion resort to pulling Him out. We wind Him up, by saying whatever incantation we think will invoke Him to appear....and suddenly He pops out! We are delighted, taken by surprise and sometimes awe. Sometimes, we even attempt to pry Him out. Eventually, we put Him away again.

 So many work themselves crazy trying to devise ways to bring others to Him. They spend countless hours devising plans and activities, writing booklets, tracks and praying for a special touch of creativity from Him that will draw others. Does He use these things? Absolutely, when it pleases Him to do so. We see in scripture that the LORD used many, even if they were evil. He used Pharoah....hardened his heart for the purpose of His Glory in redeeming His People. Some have a problem with the concept of the Lord's hardening of Pharoah's heart. They forget that He is the potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 29:16; 64:8; Romans 9:21). While in college, I took an elective class in Ceramics. We began the class by making the clay. Large garbage cans were prepared with heavy-duty black garbage bags. The recipe comprised sterile reddish soil into which was poured bottles of wine and yeast. In addition, discarded projects from the previous semester of dried out, unusable clay were also added. Once all was combined into the garbage bags, it was mixed just enough to moisten the contents. Then the bags were tied and lids fastened to the garbage cans. There the clay would age over the next several weeks in preparation for the following semester's classes. In the meantime, the clay mixture prepared during the previous semester was now ready to be used by our class.

 Each morning, each student got a portion of clay to be used. It was worked, molded, formed with the hands. Some projects dictated that the clay be rolled into strips, some pounded into flat squares but all were kneeded in order to insure there were no air bubbles that could form pockets that would cause weakness in the object resulting in bursting during the firing processes. Toward the end of the semester, we learned to use the wheel in order to achieve individual results desired.

 This experience brought to mind how God made us. He took the "dust of the ground" to form the first man. The name that God gave him was "Adam," which in the Hebrew (Strongs Concordance 119,120,121) means red, rosey, ruddy in color. So God used His Own created, sterile, red dirt. In John 9, we see how God healed a man of his blindness. He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay (9:6). Jesus made a patch for this blind man's eyes. Did He form an eyeball ... or maybe a retina ... or maybe a lens?? This man was born blind. He had a congenital birth defect. The Disciples questioned Jesus about why this grown man had been born blind, if it was due to a sin he or his parents had committed and Jesus said it was so that "the works of God should be revealed in him" (v. 3). Jesus healed many others who were blind by simply stating, "You are healed" or "Receive your sight," but in this particular area, Jesus actually did something to give the man his sight.

 God does according to His Purpose that His Plans may be fulfilled to and for His Glory. We, His Creation, do not mold Him. He molds us. We often forget that He is in charge. Jesus said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (John 6.44). We busy ourselves seeking to draw people to Him. We offer all kinds of creative, worldly trinkets to get people's attention, constructing grand buildings with plush furnishings and up-to-date sound and visual systems, scheduling time-consuming and sometimes expensive functions....and yet, Jesus nor any of the Prophets or Apostles had to resort to such to draw crowds. It was the Spirit of the Lord that brought people to where they would hear His Word. No advertisements saying "In the desert today"...or "along the river bank on Sunday morning" ... or "Come get your free 2-piece fish dinner." Yet they came in large numbers, great multitudes. And even of those who came and heard, not all believed and were kept (Luke 8).

 These things, these events, these pleasures and worldly attractions aren't wrong, persay but we wear ourselves out with them. We become exhausted and disappointed because we seek to draw the lost by utilizing fleshly pleasures of the world, forgetting that "the world" fulfills fleshly desires much better. IF we were to simply return to our First Love, preaching the Word in season and out of season, then the Spirit would indeed use us by drawing the lost to Himself. We need to take Abba out of the box.