by Helen Lesheid
“The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work??? (John 14:10).
Jesus went to a lonely place to pray, that is, to grow in the awareness that all the power He had was given to Him; that all the words He spoke came from His Father; and that all the works He did were not really His but the works of the One who had sent him.” (1)
Like Jesus, we need to practice this complete dependence upon God. How we fight it!
When it comes to the physical we can accept that our bodies are dependent upon oxygen and nutrients. We wouldn’t survive many minutes without air or many days without food and water. But when it comes to the spiritual, we think we should be strong enough and mature enough to make it on our own. This heresy stems from Satan and goes back to the garden of Eden. Satan said to Eve, “If you eat of this tree you’ll have the knowledge of good and evil within yourself. You won’t need God to tell you what to do. You’ll be gloriously independent.” (I’ve paraphrased.)
“We disobey whenever we become independent,” writes Oswald Chambers. “Independence is not strength but unrealized weakness, and is the very essence of sin. There was no independence in our Lord Jesus, the great characteristic of His life was submission to His Father. ” (2) “The words I say to you are not just my own,” He said. “Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (3)
Jesus demonstrated that to be completely dependent upon God is normal. God made us to be wired into him. We are not expected to do it on our own. Whew! What relief this brings when I think it all depends on me. I hear God saying, “Are you weak? No problem, I am your strength. Do you lack wisdom? Tap into Christ’s wisdom. Have you run out of patience? Help yourself to His patience.”
If we practiced moment-by-moment dependence upon God, just think how much more relaxed we’d be! We’d have more poise and confidence. We’d have more patience to wait on God… to wait for our children… to take our own shortcomings less seriously.
~Father, thank You that I am rooted into Christ. Therefore, I have everything I need to live a godly life. I help myself now to His strength, His love, His humility… In Jesus’ wonderful name, amen.
(1) Henri Nouwen fungchiwood.com/HenriNouwen.htm (2) Oswald Chambers, Devotions for Morning and Evening, page 523 (3) John 14:10
About the Author
This devotional was written by Helen Lescheid. Learn more about Helen: http://www.talk.thelife.com/authors/helen-lescheid/
Going Deeper
1. Consider these questions: What does Oswald Chambers mean when he says, “We disobey whenever we become independent”? What does it mean to really become completely dependent upon God? Why do we so often want to do things our own way?
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Dearest Father,
How I do know how dependent I am. I know I need you. Unfortunately, I run to your feet, but I am so prone to leave too soon. Give me the patience to wait trials out, to understand that you mature us in the waiting on you. You long for us to feed on you, not nibble on you. Today as I see how futile life is on my terms and strength I ask for the manna you have set before me. I refuse to hoard what You have for the next day and refuse to lay idle and not take in what you do have for me. I accept that delicious peace you give when we soak our hearts on the bread of life. Thank you that you promise us that You will provide for all we need. Today I pray for my sisters who may be in difficult circumstances. The enemy of our souls may try to convince us “there is no use”, or “I can do it.” Those are both parts of the same lie. We are nothing without your Spirit. Amen
PS Thank you for these meditations!
Lord, so many times I try to resolve issues without coming to You and living in you and waiting for Your answer. Forgive me. Mold me into the kind of person You want me to be, dependent upon You instead of myself. Thank you for the example of Christ who lived totally in You and He in You.
Annie
I challenge readers of this devotional blog to fast. Fasting is something i always thought necessary but not something i thought i could ever do–in my culture (Haitian), food is BIG. How can I not eat? however, lately, when I needed my mind clear, and I needed a strong fellowship witht the Lord, i would fast for 24 hours, and pray, and keep my mind stayed on HIm. Prayer changes things. The devotion says we can’t live without food and water. Water, yes. But you’d be surprised how far you can go without physical food. So now i’m on a juice fast, and my mind couldn’t be clearer. I have energy. I am alive and well. God is good. Plus it’s a good way to cleanse your system and lose unnessary weight. The life lesson here is: man does not live by bread alone. its so true. Physical food is overrated. And when u cleanse ur mind of all the clouding physical food, you can better hear God’s word, and therefore you are filled with the Spiritual food. How wonderful. I challenge you all to fast for just 24 hours. The first day is the hardest. THen you forget you have not eaten. Good luck. Write back for suggestions.
Why is this so hard for me? I am in constant conflict trying to take control of my life and make decisions and fix things or so I think on my own and it alwasy blows up in my face. I have been a Christian for 8 years and I just don’t seem to be able to make it click. I desperately need God to be the leader in my life, because I just continue to do it wrong constantly and make things worse.
Father God – I am such a sinnder Lord. Please forgive me. Lord deliver me from teh temptations in my life, the strongholds that keep tripping me up. Father, I pray that you can plant people in my life that can help me on this journey. I pray that you can help me to get connected at church, plugged in and serving you, living for you Lord.
Lord, I have strayed from you. I know this once in my life as a young christian and I have drifted away from this way of like. Lord, take me back; forgive me for not maintaining the relationship required to do your will. I yield myself to you. Speak to me in a clear voice so that I may here you. You said that you would draw nigh to me if I would draw nigh to you. I am here and I won’t let go until you deliver me.
Lord Thank you! Thank you for being my rock! Thank you for letting be depedent on you!
I love this devotional! I always thought that being depedent was a bad thing.I thought that I would be considered weak. I would be weak However, being depedent on God is a great thing. It’s ok to been depedent on him. I can’t live without him.
I accepted Christ On New Years Eve 2005. Ever since then I am becoming more dependent on him!
FROG!
Thank you Lord for allowing me the choice to be joyfully dependent on you and your word. Thank you for this devotional and bless everyone who reads this. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Thank you Lord for you are holy and your love endures forever…”Let not your heart be troubled”(John 14″1).
I thank you Father, that the truth will set us free if we follow your ways written in the Bible. I pray for all my sister in the Lord and thank you for the daily devotional. Many blessings…In Christ. Amen
Father GOD, please forgive me for i have sinned and continue to sin. Forgive me for i am of this world and not of you. Lord GOD “HELP ME” to get back on track. i know your goodness and your love. i need you so much, right now!
i thank you for your unconditional love through it all. LORD i ask that you come into each and every situation in my life right now, that is in the way of you. i pray in Jesus name
thank you all for your honesty and letting me know that i am not alone. be blessed!
Karen as I read your reply, your spirit entered mine to hold on and pray for you. I want you to know leaving some friends and relationships is the beginning. I promise you the Lord will put people in your path to keep you encouraged. There must be some things you need to do first. Faith without works is dead. There must be some sonsistent action playing on your part. Cry out to the Lord and satuate yourself with the word of God and ask him to give you a people to thermal you in prayer. Get really busy in your church and watch God move. I will continually call your name out to the Lord. God bless you and believe the report of the lord. Betty
How wide and deep is the Father’s love ! Apart from thee I can’t do anything . You are the reason for living . The world can offer only temporal joy , and external additives in our well being . The joy of having You breathe , move and live within us is the crucial entity for each person to have heaven here while still on earth . More of You Lord and less of me . God we need You to make us alive in every fiber of our being . Grants us the fire within us to share You to all whom we meet . Make us contagious for You to be glorified ! Like sand to the shores , water to the sea , leaves to the branches , clouds to the skies may we abide in and only through You Lord !!! Your word richly be dwelling in actualization of how we live unto your glory .
When Oswald Chambers says, “We disobey whenever we become independent”, I think it mean it is a sin to be independent of God, because the word says “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. For without me ye can do nothing. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”{John 15:4-7}. We was created to depend on Christ always “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”{Hebrews 12:2}. When we really become competely dependent upon god it mean “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”{Isaiah 40:31}. Jesus said I am in the Father, and the Father in me. The Father dwelleth in me, he doeth the works {John 14:10}. So if the Father is in Jesus and delleth in him, we must do the same to be complete and fruitful, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being”{Acts 17:28}. I do not know if we so often want to do things our own way or we think God need help, or we are too human at times or think it will happen faster. All are a recipe for disaster. ~Heavenly Father, your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path {Psalm 119:105}. For “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighted in his way{Psalm 37:23}. Order my steps in the Lord. Jesus give us peace and bless us may your face shine upon us.I praise you for who you are. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. Bettye
Dear Lord i thank you for each day for every breath that i breath,every activty of my limbs.Yousaid we wrassel not against flesh and blood but against the princpiltes of darkness.You are the creator of heaven and eartjh and all that dewells within it,you see that i am going through some things withsome people who are hateful and harmful to me Lord.I remioved them out of my life now they want to come back onlyfor their on good.God i can’t alolow them to and i want let them get close to me any more.Because you knew i truedted them and loved them as well they vross bountrys that took that love nad friendship away.Lord i done all i can do i am so tired the battle is not mine but belongeth to you.Please lLord open up my eyes and hearth to not have any pain nor sorrow but pure love for all man kind.I forgive the people whom hurt me own thwe site that you know i am on.They cause real hurt and pain too me and didn’t even blink,dear lord thank you for keeping me safe from all harm north south east and west.thank you God for hearing my cry even when i am not worthy of thou blessings i know thouest has a plan for me and will see it through.help me Lord not to get side track by all this confusion that is going on and not give it.In your word you said i am the head and not the tale,also that those who are first shall be last and those that are last shall be first.
Father God i do thank you so very much because you are the one who loves memore than any man on this earth could ever do.Thank you Lord Jesus for hearing and answering my cry and be with the familes of those who have lost love ones also comfort there hearts and ease their minds thank you dear Lord Jesus for saying a sinner like me.I confes i am a mess today and really did to get back focus on what it that you have for me to do.i know it wasn’t by acciedent for me to be on this page at this time.help me to find my way back.You said Lord Jesus we have not becausewe ask not.I am asking you too let things be at peace and help me to be still and not say a word only when i am spoken too and also help me to contuie to share the love that you have given me.Thank you in the name of the Father Son Holy Ghost Amen.Georgia
Lord I am nothing without you and without you I will fail. I can do nothing on my own. Lord I ask that you will continue to lead and guide me each and everyday. I ask that you would forgive me of any sins that I have committed by word, thought, or deed. I will continue to put you first in all that I say and do. God bless you all!