Depend On God
We tend to have it backward. We pray to God. "Provide for me, so I can trust You." God says: "Trust Me. I will provide." We want things so we can be in charge of our own life. We want to be able to provide for ourselves. If we have something we can trust in instead of Jesus, we think we don't need Him. If you have a boat in the midst of the flood, you rely on the boat to save.
A rich young ruler comes to Jesus. He asks if Jesus has any more rules for him to follow (Matt 19:16-25, Mark 10:17-30, Luke 18:18-30). Jesus simple demand: "Go sell all you have, and give it to the poor.", shakes this man. He can't do it. He loves money too much. He loves the power money gives him. He loves not having to depend on anyone else. That is why he likes the rules. All he has to do is follow the rules. He is in control. Jesus demand isn't a rule. It is personal. It directly addresses his individual addiction.
That is what makes it so hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom. They rely on their wealth. They don't think they need God. Perhaps this is why the poor are blessed, they know they can't rely on their power or wealth, all they can rely on is that God will provide, even though it seems impossible.
We all have things we rely on. What are yours? What do you depend on instead of Jesus?
This simple poem warns of what happens when we depend on the wrong thing.
Depend On God (Me)
Woe to you who
depend on your strength
depend on your wealth
depend on your beauty.
Blessed are you who
depend on Me no
matter circumstance
or condition.
Trust in Me like
Elijah at Zarephath.*
You are blessed with
peace in your sorrows.
Rely on Me.
Know I am real.
Know Me intimately.
Depend on Me.
Inspired by Mark R. February 11, 2007
*1st Kings 17:7-16,
Luke 6: 20-26, 1st Corinthians 15:12-20
© Presbypoet, February 11, 2007
posted by PresbyPoet at
11:47 AM
3 Comments:
Thank you so much for letting God speak through you. God gave you wisdom of how his word teaches us to depend on him. I desperately needed to read this.
May God fill you with all of his blessings.
Benjamin, I am glad God used me to be a blessing. Thank you for your blessing. I asked for prayer for you at Church Sunday.
You have a wonderful blog. I have a blog called Fully Rely on God. Is it alright if I borrow some of your post? I collect frogs and i am also a Christian who believes in the acronym for F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely on God)
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