Packaging
By Becky Rule

This may sound silly, but one of the challenges of today is "packaging." I often ask Mike or Joseph, "Do you have your jack-knife with you? I cannot get this [whatever] open!" The simplest things seem highly over-packaged with shrink-wrap and tough plastic. What does this have to do with God and our relationships with Him? Everything.

The people of Jesus’ time had a choice: receive God as "packaged" in Jesus, or continue looking for the Messiah. Jesus’ actions and words often APPEARED to contradict the law; however, we know they did not. The people’s perception of the Messiah from Scripture is what caused their struggle to accept the reality of the Messiah. Because they interpreted Jesus’ words and actions through their own understanding, they rejected Him and what He did. We face the same situation. Will we accept Jesus as He presents Himself to us or continue searching for someone who meets our expectation of who Jesus should be—someone with specific packaging? Are we seeking the living God with all our heart, soul, and might; or seeking to know the right things? Are we following Jesus, or seeking to follow His commands? Following Jesus’ commands comes with following Him, but the converse is not true. Following His commands does not necessarily mean we are following Him. Our beliefs about Jesus are not the way; in fact, they often get in the way. Only Jesus is the way. If it is true that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours, how can we possibly comprehend Him and claim our perceptions are totally correct?

"Packaging" has been a stumbling block to me. I have made assumptions about God based on particular teachings and interpretations of His written Word…and had it all wrong. I believed things and taught things I later found to be false. I "understood" certain issues…until God showed me otherwise. Therefore, I have NO doubt that some of what I believe about God right now is inaccurate. I do not want to lean on my own understanding, or anyone else’s. I have some sort of an understanding of Him, but there is a difference between having it and leaning on it. I no longer want to trust the packaging of beliefs because belief systems let me down. I want to cut through the packaging and cling tenaciously to Jesus alone, claiming Him only and knowing Him crucified and risen. More and more I cannot say WHAT I believe, other than Jesus. I share what I see and hear from where I stand at the moment. Tomorrow, God may move me to a new place and show me things from a different perspective so it might appear that I change my views. He does not change, but my view of Him does as I grow to know Him better. It does not surprise me when people question our doctrine and call us heretics based on what we share. Those folks certainly know a lot more than I do; I do not know enough about doctrine to even know what it is I am being accused of. How can a blind person see what he cannot see? As much as I want my blind spots removed, I cannot see them to remove them. Only God can make the blind see. Besides, I do not want to pursue avoiding blind spots; I want to pursue Jesus. Making sure I am 100% accurate in my beliefs is a distraction from Him. To be honest, this specific road and route has not often made sense to me, but I trust Him to keep me. I have simply asked God to lead me, to give me ears to hear and eyes to see and the courage to say yes to Him no matter what it looks like. My own request is frightening, as I fully realize that I do not know the implications of what I ask. However, knowing Him more intimately has been worth the cost.

We can label and organize and package doctrine in many ways, but it does not change the fact that God is the Root and Source of it all. I choose what is IN the package over the man-made wrapping. Here is why: When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, it will not be theology that comforts me. Doctrine will not save me when I walk through the fire and am not burned or when I pass through the waters. When I am afflicted, perplexed, persecuted and struck down, it will not be my beliefs that keep me from being destroyed. When I am feeling confused, betrayed, and alone, it will be God who wipes away my tears, keeps them in a bottle and gives me peace. When there is victory in my life, God will have won it--not my education, knowledge or understanding. It is God who walks with us, heals our broken hearts, and engraves our names on His hand. It is Jesus who died for me and rose from the dead that I might be saved, and Jesus who is our Mediator and Intercessor. It is Jesus who asked the Father to send us His Holy Spirit as our Comforter and Guide into all truth. I do not wish to deny Him by trusting my perception of His qualities and commands over believing HIM and knowing Him as God. Doctrine has not saved me--Jesus has. Packaging has its place, but it is not to distract us from Who is inside. May you have the courage to work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling; to seek God FOR YOURSELF with all your heart, soul, mind and might; and to move beyond the packaging that so easily inhibits us from knowing the one true God.