Happy Dependence Day

Yes, you got that right. There's no typo. Your eyes are not deceiving you. Today (okay yesterday but will explain) the country celebrates its independence from Great Britain. There will be lots of barbeques, fireworks, parties, and festivities. Along with a country lavished with freedoms, we are also a country that likes to celebrate any and all occasions (even "holidays" created by Hallmark). We indeed are extremely blessed to live in the land of the free. It is important to remember those who've given their lives for our freedom and continue to fight for our freedom. However, there is one freedom for which we never have to fight but merely ask and it will freely be given to us. We have an eternal freedom offered only in Christ.

In addition to remembering those who are fighting for our freedom, we must remember the One who gave His life for us to truly be free...free from eternal hell, free from condemnation, free from the captivity of our sins, free from death, free from our enemies. When we carry Christ in our heart, we carry freedom with us regardless of where we live, travel, or the situation we find ourselves. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. Romans 6:22

To live free means to live dependent on God. The more completely we depend on God (D.O.G.), the more free we live. Did you hear that? For once, this dependence is positive; whereas, dependence on things or people can be deadly, dangerous, and destructive.

It can be obvious on what we do depend on God.

Job. Transportation. Housing. Health. Safety.

Do we depend on Him to find our lost keys? Do we depend on Him for our malfunctioning electronical gagdets? Do we seek Him on how to react to every person or situation? Do we seek Him in the little issues and depend on Him to provide the answer and the means? Do we ask and depend on him to find the time to exercise, to be in His Word daily, to pray more, to serve where He calls?

But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors. Hosea 10:13

May I propose that we take a deeper step into dependence with God? May we depend on God for all our needs and answers. Many people have expressed that it is hard to approach the Throne for those seemingly ridiculous and small concerns. However, God says to come to Him with everything in prayer. Do not be anxious about anything, but IN EVERYTHING, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 We as humans view it as a "bother" to God. I mean, there are people dying of disease, living with no food, water, and shelter. Yet, we are supposed to ask God to find our keys so we can get to our interview on time in hopes of getting a job that will help us pay our bills and keep our house. Or are we supposed to really bother God in helping us be patient with our kids, to be courteous to our rude customers, have energy to clean our house, etc. For real? Yes, for real! For you see, not asking God shows we can do it all by ourselves. It says we can be loving to our children when they are screaming, the oven timer is dinging, the dryer is buzzing, and we're about to lose it. No, we can do it. No need to bother the Almighty who is healing the sick, feeding the poor, raising the dead.

No, there is no crisis too small for our God. The only thing too small is that BOX in which we place God. The Creator. The Almighty. The Majestic.

Going to God with everything, even those itsy bitsy issues demonstrates our TOTAL dependence on God. It demonstrates to our Father that we cannot do it all but rather we know HE can. Yes, He can find your keys. Yes, He can give you the right response on a chaotic day. Yes, He can get you there on time and accident free. Yes, He can do it all, big and small!

Consider this. If God was not concerned with the details, how come He put so much detail into all of His creation? Let us examine the vast variety of flowers and the intricate details. Let us watch the various beauty in the animals of the land and sea. Let us ponder on the very complexity of the human body. There's so much variation in our physical appearance but what about the human mind? Oh how complex it is. God is the Creator of details. God is all about the details. He is known for perfect timing. Yet, that too calls for details. Trust that God IS concerned with the details of your life.

Warm His heart. Bring Him glory. Fulfill His desires.
Depend on Him fully and all those will come to pass.

The Father is honored when we go to Him with total dependence. For parents, doesn't it bring you so much pleasure and honor when your children seek you to guide, to listen, to answer, to assist? (Okay maybe not if it's finding their underwear.) Imagine how it makes God Almighty feel when His children seek Him and rely on Him fully. God wants us to truly F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely On God).

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. "If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemiesand turn my hand against their foes!" Psalm 81:12-14

Matthew Henry beautifully said "We can depend on God to fulfill His promise, even when all the roads leading to it are closed." (Streams in the Desert, July 1).

Note: The reason this post is late is because my (seven month old) computer decided to crash and burn on me. It wants a little attention so I am taking it to the Best Buy doctors (A.K.A. The Geek Squad) tomorrow. I tell ya, these things just barely beep, flash, and crash and they want a little TLC and probably want money spend on it. So, I will be praying and depending on God in hopes it is a hardware issue (under warranty) and not a software issue that will cost $60-200.

FROGin and DOGin,