We are a needy people and yet we are so self-sufficient and
love to find our independence from an early age. Parents driving independence
into their children with such vigour, what chance do they have of learning to
depend upon another? It is only the slothful and the ones with the “failure to
launch” syndrome that may seem to accept their dependence upon someone else.
“Easy come-easy go” mentality, but wherever we find ourselves on this topic it
all falls under the same banner; a fruit of the flesh rebelling against God.
Man looking to build an empire of self-worth as he establishes his own value to
those around him, while others may look to feed off others no differently to a plecostomus
(sucker fish) leaching off their next victim; both equally as destructive when
looking to apply the principle of faith to our lives as instructed.
My understanding is deepening; anything that is to the
exclusion of God first is grave error on our part, period! There are no ifs and
buts. We were created to worship God and to commune with him, independence was
never part of the original equation. It was through the fall of man that
independence began to take root; “Cain knew his wife,
and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the
name of his son, Enoch.” (Genesis 4:17) – In the beginning God created
the Garden of Eden and placed man in it, it was His creation; now after Cain
had killed his brother he went and built a city, his own creation,
independence!
Most of us try and instil these values deep within our
children’s hearts from a very early age, we have erred and must take them back
to what is of utmost importance and that is to honour God. How do we do that?
Surely we must all work and feed our family after all, doesn’t the Bible teach that
if a man doesn’t work he doesn’t deserve to eat. Yes it does! However let me remind
you that this (“working by the sweat of our brow”) was a judgement because of
the fall. We must obviously work to feed our families but this is where Satan
has made great inroads into deceiving billions. Working to feed our families
was never about houses, fast cars or degrees and power to manipulate; it was to
remind us of our disobedience and the consequence of disobeying God. It was
meant as a punishment and not a blessing; “And
to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and
have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,'
cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days
of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall
eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:17-19)
If you haven’t read the book of Ecclesiastes I would
encourage you to do exactly that. After Solomon’s entire test on life, where he
first hand literally tried and tested everything he could think to test, he
came to this one conclusion; “The end of the matter; all has
been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of
man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Once
we now get saved, “born again”, there is a new start to our lives, and we must
learn to change the way we once thought. Now it is obvious without the help of
God the Holy Spirit this change would be impossible, however because we now have
eyes that are able to perceive spiritual things and been instructed to walk by
faith, believing God to supply all our needs, which in turn feeds the hope we
have in Him. This application is totally contrary to what we were once taught
and what society now teaches others. Therefore let us not fall into the trap of
walking like we once did. Here then is a great example where the father of faith, Abraham has this to teach us; “And
Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said,
"Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for
himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them
together.” (Genesis 22:7-8) -
Abraham did not sit around doing nothing, he responded to God’s instruction and
he knew that God would supply what was needed, the sacrifice! But he put God
first and so we too must learn to put God first in everything we do and then we
need to believe that he will supply what is needed; no questions asked! I too
am persuaded of that truth! My God shall supply all my need, not only do I
believe it but have experienced it, praise the magnificent name of Jesus Christ
my Lord and King.
“If the evidence we have already received of our Lord's grace
and power is not enough, when will our doubts be ended?” (Charles Spurgeon)
If we are troubled and the trial of our faith is being tested
for whatever reason, all we need to do is recall some of our past experiences
and it will be well with our soul. Trials and tests will come; they must, for
it is God’s way of teaching us to trust Him. Bless His name now and forever
more, Amen! Even so come quickly Lord Jesus…
Signing off
Tyrone
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