Willing Dependence

I have concluded that human independence is merely a mirage.  Yesterday we experienced a storm which sent rain and hail hammering down as lightning flashed and thunder boomed.  During one of the lighting strikes, all the devices drawing electrical current dimmed.  The boys were both playing video games at the time and they simultaneously groaned, because they realised a power outage would end their gaming session.  It occurred to me they were completely reliant upon a stable electrical current to play their games.  To do anything we want to do, we have to rely upon something our someone to accomplish it.

It is always a sad day when an person can no longer drive because of health reasons or physical limitations.  I have heard this referred to as "losing your independence."  This is an ironic statement, seeing those who have a car are dependent upon their car to drive anywhere!  To use a different example, this morning I mowed the lawn.  I was completely dependent upon an operational lawn mower to perform the task.  When I bake a cake by myself I still need to have the ingredients, a bowl to mix them, a pan to pour the mix in, and an oven which needs electricity.  I am also dependent upon the proper function of my body to stand upright, maintain consciousness, and pay attention to what I am doing.  Our bodies are dependent upon a multitude of things:  oxygen, water, food, sleep, proper nutrition, and various systems of the body work together in harmony.

If I want to go to the shops, I rely upon something to transport me - whether it be a car, pushbike, my legs, public transport, or a ride from someone else.  I am dependent on money to purchase the item I desire.  I also depend on the shop to presently stock the item I seek to buy.  Even in our most independent and "self-sufficient" stages in life, we are not independent nor are we self-sufficient.  There is no one living who can claim true independence.  There is a level of dependence inherent in life, and I believe God designed it in such a fashion.  Our bodies are dependent on themselves as well as outside resources to do anything, and our survival depends on it.

Dependence is more than a mind set:  for a Christian it is to be our way of life.  All the resources and things of this world lure us to find our peace and security in them, when it is God in whom we are to depend.  If we cannot accomplish a single physical task without depending on something, how could we possibly do anything for God's glory without relying upon His strength and wisdom?  It is an interesting dynamic that everything concerning our lives is dependent upon God - whether we rely upon Him or not.  We live, move, and breathe only by God's grace.  Yet what a blessing it is when we willfully depend upon God, relying upon Him to guide, provide, protect, and save us!  No one is truly independent, yet we can choose a life independent from God.  Are you willing to admit your dependence on others or self?  If "losing our independence" causes us to become more dependent upon God, have we lost anything?  Sometimes what we perceive as loss God transforms into gain.