Outside the Box!

Bummer!

When I went to the Christian Writer’s Conference in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in May, I was super excited, and a little apprehensive. You see, I took my “baby,” the new Bible study I’m writing, to show to a few agents, editors, and publisher types.

Here’s what they all said: This is amazing, so imaginative and innovative! I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s great, BUT…

It seems that publishers have a box that defines what a Bible study should be like, and a box that defines fiction, and one that defines nonfiction. My wonderful, imaginative study was outside the boxes.

Bummer! The roller coaster that took me so high at their complimentary words brought me crashing down in the end.

I dragged myself home, with a pouty face, and began to whimper in Daddy God’s lap. Then I heard Him whisper:

“It’s OK, Sherry. I do my best work outside the box.”

As I looked back through Scripture, and my own life, I saw what He meant.

Remember parting the Red Sea? If you were to ask all the wise men and scientists, they would have said that was impossible.

Nature doesn’t work that way. All the laws of science and physics forbid it.

But, God worked outside the box and saved the people of Israel from Pharaoh’s army.

Have you heard of Rahab? You have to go to the book of Joshua, in the Bible, to hear her story. She was a prostitute in the city of Jericho – yes, a prostitute. And yet, because she believed in God, He used her to give His people victory over Jericho and to lead them into the Promised Land.

God used a prostitute –  that’s outside the box!

The examples go on and on:

• God transformed Paul, a zealous Christian-hater, into a man who told millions about Jesus.
• God chose Timothy, an inexperienced young man, to lead one of the most important churches in New Testament times.
• God chose me, an engineer who worked at NASA, to write Bible studies.
• He chooses you, calls you, and uses you.

But, above all, He chose to send His only Son down from Heaven to walk on the earth and to die for all of us so our sins can be forgiven and we can become His children.

Now, that’s outside the box!

The next time someone says to you, “That will never happen – it’s impossible!”,

Think about the Red Sea. If God wants it done, it will be done.

When your thoughts condemn you and you think God can’t use you because of your past,

Remember Rahab. God can use anyone who believes in Him.

If you’re scared because you think you’re totally unqualified to do what God’s asked you to,

Look at me. A fifty-something engineer can write Bible studies because God enables me to do it.

So, what about my new Bible study? If God wants it published, it will be. If He has another purpose for it, then that will happen. It doesn’t matter what anyone says because…

God does His best work outside the box!

Is there something God calls you to do that seems impossible? Will you trust Him?

When has God worked outside the box in your life?