Independently Dependent

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” — Psalm 23:1

The Lord, my Shepherd — Jehovah Rohi.

David’s analogy of his well-being and the role of a shepherd shows us his total dependency upon God.

When you think about the sheep’s life and how they depend upon the shepherd, our lives should follow the same pattern.

Let’s look at the similarities:

Christians, who celebrate Independence Day, are independently dependent.

What do I mean?

When we are rooted and grounded in Christ, we can be independent of the world to meet our needs but dependent upon God to sustain us. So, we’re independent but, at the same time, dependent.

Take a 16-year-old, for example. Once they acquire their driver’s license, they no longer need to depend on their parents to drive them everywhere they need to go. Instead, they’re independent of a driver. However, they still need their parent to provide shelter, food, and the necessities of life.

That is in a traditional parent-child relationship.

What about a baby? Once babies learn to walk or crawl, they become independent of relying on their parents to move around. And yet, they still need their parents to change them, dress them, and again supply their basic needs in life.

Finally, let’s look at the life of an employee who decides to pursue entrepreneurship. As long as they’re working, they depend on their employee for an income. But, when they choose to branch out, dependency converts to a lifestyle of independence upon an employer and a reliance upon their tenacity to make a business work.

Hopefully, by now, you’re able to see my point.

What areas have you depended on someone or a system and are now willing to let go of your allegiance?

Take a self-examination today and see how you can become more God-dependent.

Join me next week for more Coffee on The Couch.