Utterly Dependent

“I can of Myself do nothing…” John 5:30a

I learned at an early age how to be independent. I had a family who cared for me, but they expected a lot—and that was probably a good thing, because I learned how to take care of myself, my home, my relationships, my finances, and so forth.

But it didn’t help me be Christ-like. Christ uttered the words of today’s Scripture. He knew He was utterly dependent on the Father. I did not know how utterly dependent on the Father I was. I didn’t know that the fruit “I” produced from “my” talents came from Him. I didn’t know the people in my life were placed there by Him. I didn’t know my relationships were held together by Him. I didn’t know my successful finances were due to His provision. I didn’t know my good health wasn’t due to my own right living and healthy choices, but had been appointed by Him only for a time, and would not last forever.

Without Him, I am deaf and blind, weak and lazy. He opens my ears to hear His Word. He opens my eyes to see His mighty works. He strengthens my feeble hands and weak knees. He gives me purpose and abilities and calls me to minister to others. Left to myself, I can do nothing of lasting value.

As early as Genesis, we see people of God relying on Him completely to accomplish what is utterly impossible for man. In Genesis 41:16, when Pharoah was troubled by a dream and wanted Joseph to interpret it, Joseph said, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” In 2 Kings 6:27, the king of Israel said to a woman, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you?” In 2 Chronicles 20:12, the army of Israel cries out, “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us, nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” And perhaps the most familiar verse about our dependence is Psalm 127:1, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”

 Jeremiah said in 10:23, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” We don’t know what to do, nor which way to turn. We only THINK we are directing our own lives. It may take something drastic to show us how very involved God is in our days, or we may learn it bit by bit throughout a long life of failures and recovery.

Let’s realize the truth of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 3:5: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.”

 Father, all things come to us from Your hand. Continue Your work in and through us. Use us to do Your bidding. Amen.