Everyone knows that babies are completely dependent on their parents. But as babies grow into children we ween them so that they become more and more independent. Of course in some ways we do need to be independent. And so, at school, university and in the wider world people are constantly encouraged to be independent. In fact, as a teacher, students who lack independence can be a little frustrating, "Miss, can I turn the page now?" But there is also a great danger in independence.
In many ways independence is the root of sin, we want to do things our own way, we want to make our own decisions and decide for ourselves what is right and what is wrong. Fatally we seek to live completely separate lives from God. We think we are sorted without God... but we couldn't be more wrong.
But its easy to think its just the non-Christian who tries to live independently from God. I expect as Christians examine their lives, they see that we too have an enormous tendency to live independently from God, it may not be deliberate, but how dependent are we really on our heavenly father? I have been challenged as I have read through Luke's Gospel this week to see how dependent Jesus is on God. And if Jesus is dependent on God... Why do I bother doing anything without talking with and listening to my heavenly father?!
The more we get to know God the more we realise our total need to be dependent on Him for absolutely everything. The battle we face is that this goes against what society teaches us. Society says independence is great... but its not...
Jesus said: 'I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he is it who bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing' (John 15:5)
Jesus is greater than my words can express! Without Jesus we are dead, without Jesus we can do absolutely nothing. As a Christian I must battle the want to be independent, and turn to God for absolutely everything, I need to learn the art of being fully dependent on God. He is the one who provides, he is the one who draws people to Himself, he is the one who makes things work for the good. Without Jesus my life will not bear fruit and without Jesus, I can do nothing. I expect we are better at being dependent on God when tough times come our way, but this is how we ought always to be.
Something I have been increasingly aware of over the past year is what it means to be made in the image of God. God is the Trinity, he is Father, Son and Holy Spirit - God is relational. And so if we are made in the image of God, we too are to be relational. If we want to always be alone, it is not living out what it means to be made in the image of God. Furthermore, God himself said, 'It is not good for man to be alone' (Genesis 2:18). And yet so often we seek independence from people, we seek to live sheltered lives, cocooned away from others. Because of sin, relationships are broken. It can be easy to get frustrated and annoyed with people, and so it seems easier to live alone. But it is not good to live lives independently from others. How will people hear about Jesus if we just lock ourselves away?!
But independence is not just a concern because people need to hear about Jesus. Another battle some Christians face will also be whether or not they meet with other Christians. Sometimes it can be easier to stay in bed than to meet with fellow brothers and sisters - it might be easier but the writer of the Hebrews encourages us not to live independent lives from our Christian family. Christian family as so valuable for us to keep pointing us to Jesus, to encourage us to stick with him and to help us fight against sin in our lives.
'Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.' (Hebrews 10:25)
This is certainly an area of my life I need to work on, to battle against the urge to live independently but delight in being dependent on my heavenly father. I am also increasingly thankful that God has provided friends and family for me, what a joy it is that God has provided friends and family for us so that we are not alone.
Society says independence is great... but its not!
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