Big Bang / Kingdom of God

Uncontainable and Uncontrollable

Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us - to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. 

Ephesians 3:20-21

God,

You who no temple contains

and fills the whole earth.

You who reclines in heaven

and rests his feet on earth.

Expand our imaginations

to your unmeasurable dimensions,

that we may pray “able to do” prayers

that we may ask for what’s “above and beyond.” 

Our prayers are often weak 

because we make you too small.

We read that no temple contains you

but reduce you to what we can read

and models predict.

But you, uncontainable God, 

you defy every formula 

and break every box. 

Your kingdom can’t be contained

because your Spirit cannot be tamed. 

He is not our pet!

We can’t keep him on schedule.

We can’t train him to follow.

We can’t teach him our tricks.

How arrogant have we been!

To think we can keep you contained

in carefully crafted boxes

that present as presents 

but are wrapping prisons. 

The prisons of control 

that shout inside of us, 

“This is the only way to do this.” 

“That is not of God;

it is too weird, too wild.”

But you, uncontrollable God, 

you beckon us to pay attention

to the city growing sideways 

in the bottle without lid.

She is breaking out to fly

to lands near and far,

growing your kingdom in places

that books do not mention

and experts ignore. 

Help us, oh God!

Free our minds from the prisons 

that come wrapped in gift boxes.

We want to march with your Spirit,

in sync with your heart.

We want to pray

“Your kingdom come, your will be done”

without crossing our fingers behind our backs.

We want to burst the walls of our kingdom

so that yours can go forth!

Give us the courage to throw out the lid

and tip the bottle to spill 

by praying “above and beyond”

to the One who is “able to do.”

Amen