God in the Garage
I heard a story today about a woman who would banish God to the garage. ”God, I’m angry with you right now, I want you out in the garage!” I don’t know the woman who said this, but it sounds like something one of my crazier relatives might do. But after a little while, the anger or frustration would subside enough that she would go out to the garage and talk to God. Eventually she would invite God back into the house when she was comfortable with where they stood.
The thought of God in the garage at first made me laugh. The cover of Dr. Seuss’s book There’s a Wocket in my Pocket came to mind. Then I was a little appalled at the thought of some lady banishing the God of the universe into the garage. This isn’t her husband who forgot their anniversary. Doesn’t she know who she’s talking to?
In Hebrews 10 it talks about us having the confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus. Here confidence is talking about freedom of speech or being able to speak freely in the presence of God. So even though God is above us, we have the ability and privilege to come before him with questions and frustrations as well as our joys. Often there’s this perception that you can’t pray if you have doubts or you can’t question God, but if you look at the Psalms we see numerous times where the author is either crying out asking, “Where are you God?” or “Why do you let my enemies abuse me?” It’s OK to yell at God or even banish him to the garage. Just don’t leave him out there forever 
Fellow traveler,
Andy