The Magic Bucket

Without fail every time we get in the car, Zion has to bring a toy or two to keep himself entertained while we drive somewhere.  The other day he brought a trick-or-treat bucket (thank you McDonald's Happy Meal) filled with a few treasures; a gun, his wallet and a Matchbox car.  So we are in the car, he has his bucket on his lap, and he loses control of the bucket but catches it just in time.  The bucket tips over but nothing falls out.  He says (and I quote), "I guess this IS a magic bucket."  I chuckled at his simple explanation for what just occurred.

A few minutes later, the same thing happens . . . he starts to drop the bucket but this time, he's a little too late with his reflexes and the contents of the bucket fall on the floor.  He quickly responds by saying, "I guess it's not a magic bucket after all."  I found this response even more humorous and couldn't help but LOL, literally.  When the result wasn't as cool and the outcome not as desirable, the bucket lost it's magic.  I am not one to turn every little encounter with my children into a profound spiritual analogy but as I have thought about this (and even tried to put it into a simple facebook status), I can't help but see a striking connection to what happens in our own lives.

When God blesses us with something unexpected or undeserved, we call it a miracle . . . something that can't be explained . . . maybe to the unbeliever, magic.  However when our life falls out on the floor, or the consequences of our actions become apparent, or we encounter an obstacle, God often becomes less awesome. He loses his "magic."  But just as the bucket was the same bucket regardless of what happened to the prized possessions on the inside, God is still God and still good and still sovereign and still gracious regardless of whether or not a "miracle" is present.

Do you ever wonder if the disciples felt this way?  When Jesus walked on water, I bet they thought that was awesome, amazing, unreal.  But what did they think the next day or the next week when they were hanging out at sea and Jesus jumped in the water and swam with the rest of them?  Were they disappointed?  Did they still believe He was the Savior?  Did it challenge their faith in Him?  I can't say for sure but they were human, just like you and me, and maybe silently they hoped to see Him do it again.

My prayer is that regardless of my circumstances (or how full my bucket is), that my faith remain steadfast, solid, and maybe more importantly, growing deeper.  I pray that I praise God in the times He saves me and my bucket.   Moreso, I hope that I am open to the ways that God wants to challenge me in order to refine me when I need it most.