Discovering Dependence

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit— fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

 John 15:1-17 

As we progress from children into adulthood, we celebrate milestones along the way, transitioning us from childhood dependence to independence. And at some point along the way it seems that many of us begin to apply this same principle to our faith.

The irony is that through the process of maturing in faith, God wants us to do just the opposite.In all actuality mature faith is childlike. As we grow closer to Him, we need to learn to depend on Him for those things we lack, not move farther away and try to do it ourselves. We must remember that independence is our faith in us, dependence is our faith in God. Tonight and all this last week I have been asking myself, “What am I dependent on more than God?”

It is truly awesome how the Lord has already begun to use my time here in Honduras to reveal the areas I all too often “try” to take control of and need to hand over to Him who already has complete control. He has and is still bringing me to the point of brokenness and humility I must be in to rest in Him completely.

While on the foreign mission field schedules are ever changing, communication/laguage can be difficult, cars are breaking down, “me” time is rare, humble facilities are typically your only choice, poor health and ingurey are a common occurance, you may not know what you will eat or drink next, you are regularly thrown into uncomfortable situations you are unprepared for, you are stretched to the max spiritually, physically, mentally, etc. and there is always a need to be met (in fact I have already left the computer eight times to attend to things since begining to type this(:!). In sum, your character is constantly tested and there never ceases to be a challenge around the corner. It is funny how it has taken serving in a foreign, third world country for me to come to the realization that I really only have two choices, to be fully dependent on God or to exhaust myself trying to take control, and it is a precious gift that God has designed it to be this way. Each morning when I rise I know that my heart, soul, mind and strength are not my own… they are His to renew and control. My expectations have been thrown out the window and I am now waiting on the Lord expectantly for His provision and guidance moment by moment.

Romans 8:20 says, “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.” You and I have been made subject to our emptiness… we don’t want to feel empty and by God’s divine design we don’t have to. He designed it this way so that we may look to Him. The only way we will be truly satisfied is when we are extemely close to God , TOTALLY DEPENDENT on God, and passionately in love with God. Sunday morning Christianity will never fill the hole in our souls. The hunger in our hearts can only be filled through the intamacy, dependence and an ever-deepening relationship with the one who created us for His glory (Rev. 4:11).

Therefore, in the midst of our ministry, work, school, family, friends and life we are called to console ourselves with Him as often as we can (ALWAYS). During our meals, conversations and the daily grind, we are called to lift our hearts towards Him and to remember Him. To do this there is no need to shout out loud. He is closer to us than we think. We do not have to constantly be in church to be with God. And you do not have to be srving on the foreign mission field either. We can make out heart a prayer room into which we can retire from time to time to humbly and lovingly coverse with our Heavenly Father.

None of us know how much time we have left here on this earth. So, may it be that we live and die with God. Our sufferings will always be sweeter and more pleasant when we are with Him, and without Him our greatest pleasure will be cruel torture. May He be blessed by all. It is my desire to make a habit little by little to worship Him in this way. Ask Him for His grace and offer up my heart to Him all throughout the day— in the midst of the daily grind— in every moment. From brushing my teeth to serving the Honduran people here… may I never cease to rely on Him. I SO want to offer my heart in faith, with love and humility. But in order to do this I know that it requires me to seek the Lord in prayer, time in the Word and in fellowship and service with those He loves. I pray that the Lord will continue to send me guidance through His Spirit to live this out… a living sacrifice.

On Christ the Solid Rock:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

When darkness seems to hide His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.