From the Pulpit: It is important for us to be dependent on God
In the July 2 issue of the Journal, I shared some thoughts with you regarding the INDEPENDENCE that we all celebrate as citizens of the United States of America. This week, I would like you to consider the need everyone of us has for DEPENDENCE.
During the first week of July, I visited my daughter and her family (husband and four children) near Atlanta, Ga. One thing I was reminded of during my visit with them was the strong display of independence that young children sometimes try to exert over their parents. (My daughter’s four children are all 6 years old and under.) When asked to do something (like “tell your brother your sorry for hitting him”), an all-too-often response, but typical of children trying to exert their independence, is to say: “NO, I don’t want to.”
Another response might be to simply ignore parental requests. Independence and “doing our own thing” are part of the growing up process. Being a parent involves helping kids to have not only “roots to grow”, but also “wings to fly” and eventually, one day, to be independent of their parents. But before children can be independent it is critical for them to obey their parents and to be dependent on their parents, learning life lessons and values that will help them through the rest of their lives, and doing things that are right to do, whether we want to or not.
As children of God, it can also be tempting for us to exert our independence and not listen to our Heavenly Father. Though we eventually become independent from our earthly parents, it is important for us to never become independent from God. It is important for us to always be DEPENDENT upon the LORD, to always look in faith to Christ as our Savior, to always know that we are completely dependent upon Him for salvation. Jesus Christ, by dying for us to save us from the power of sin over our lives, gives us freedom from the guilt and sin that would condemn us. And so, we are always and completely DEPENDENT upon Jesus. We are dependent and cannot in any way accomplish freedom on our own from the condemnation that our sin holds against us. Only through dependence upon Jesus can we know what it means to truly have life. Jesus said to those who might follow him, “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10b)
