Dependant

Judges 7; Psalms 146

We struggle to be independent from the day we are born. It feels wrong to be dependant, yet, we are dependant on many things. Most, of which, come from God. The rotation of the earth for gravity, air to breathe, water to drink, food, clothing; in fact we are dependant on God for our very existence. The only Independence we can lay claim to is the use of what He has already supplied. We keep the air clean, drink, prepare and eat food, work and till the land or in today's vernacular we go out and get a job. For if a man will not work he will not eat (Proverbs). The strength and independence we experience in life is in direct response to our source, God. We are created to be strong, till the land, enjoy interdependence with each other and live through troubles and tribulations. For in this life you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (Jesus quote).

So where is the line, the balance, the truth on dependant and independent living. Ask yourself this? Who is doing the work. Who has done the work. How will continue the work. When we take in a breath of air, we breath in (our work). Where did the air come from, the lung, the body, the muscles to breathe(God's work).

Trials and tribulations are a little bit harder to identify, for we feel we are alone and struggle by ourselves. Not so. God says: call on me in a time of trouble and I will deliver you. How? Sometimes he delivers us out. Sometimes He delivers us through. He decides. Either way we are delivered. Where? In Spirit, in heart, in peace, in joy, in every fruit of His spirit, in Him and eventually in body and soul.

The line is this: Acknowledge we can do nothing aside from Christ who lives in us. He is God and without Him life is not worth living. He wants us to acknowledge that every area of our lives belongs to Him, is guided by Him and happens according to His plan. We surrender our all, our strength, might, heart, life, our everything in to his hands. That's dependence.

The story found in Judges is about Gideon. God required him to trim his army down to 300 men for a specific battle. The army was to small at 300 to win, yet, God delivered them. They won the victory. Read why God required them to do this in verse two. It says that they would give themselves the credit if they had more men. This way they knew God did it for them.

You see, we give ourselves the credit for everything that happens, yet,we ask God for miracles. We some how miss the fact that every breath we take is a miracle. That nothing happens unless he first makes it happen. Even the apparent bad things that happen work for the good in, around and through His children. I mean, after all, Eternal life is a big deal and God's goal is to bring us into this Eternal life through Christ, the one whose image we are to bear and whom we are being transformed into daily. The Goal.

Praise God from who all blessings flow, praise Him all peoples here below, praise Him above all heavenly hosts, praise Father Son and Holy Ghost