Don’t Put God in a Box

God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us. Ephesians 3:20 (NIrV)

Props: an air mattress (the bigger, the better), an electric pump and a flimsy paper or cardboard box (you may want to pre-cut a portion of each side before the lesson).  Prepare the following labels to put on the box: little things, small problems, wish lists, nighttime prayers.  You may put them on before the lesson or as you teach.

             We read throughout the Bible about the miracles that Jesus did when He was on this earth.  It’s great to know that God is still working miracles today.  He wants to answer your prayers, help you with your problems, heal you and give you the things you need. 

            Let’s talk about some things you may pray for.  Maybe sometimes you pray for little things.  In God’s mind, there are no “little” prayers if it really comes from your heart.  But to you there are little things.  You may ask God to help you remember how to spell a word for your spelling test or to help your cat feel better.  Who believes that God can answer those prayers? (Allow for response).  Of course He can!  It’s not too hard to believe that.   Now let’s look at some small problems you may pray about.  Again, to God it’s not small but sometimes we think so.  It could be that you and your brother argue over video games, or you could ask God to help you with a kid who annoys you at school.  Can God help you with those things?  (Allow for response).  Absolutely!  Now what about wish lists?  Can God give you things that He knows you want—if those things are best for you?  Yes!  One more thing: we’ll call it “nighttime prayers.”  You know: “Lord please bless Mommy and Daddy and help me to sleep well and not have bad dreams and please help me not to wet the bed.”  Is God powerful enough to answer those prayers?  (Allow for response).  We know He is. 

            It’s not hard to believe God for some of these things we’ve talked about.  But what if I brought in a dead girl and laid her body on the stage and said, “Let’s believe God to bring this girl back to life.”  Could you believe God for that? 

            See, many people who believe in God think that He’s like this air mattress.  (Show deflated air mattress inside of box).  They think His power fits inside these little things and can’t go any farther.  What they don’t understand is that God’s power is so much greater, so much bigger than all these things.  (Inflate air mattress, allowing the box to break).  Yes, He can do these things, but He can do so much more.  He can heal cancer, make blind people see again, bring dead people back to life, change the heart of a terrible, mean person and forgive that person for his or her sins. 

            The Bible says that “God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine” Ephesians 3:20 (NIrV).  So don’t put God in a box by thinking that He’s only big or powerful enough to answer certain prayers.  Believe Him for any and every miracle for your life.