Dependence Day: In Whom Do We Trust (July 7)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on [Christ] the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

Independence Day here in the United States is a great celebration of the birth of a nation—a nation that, as Lincoln said at Gettysburg, was conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all are created equal. Young America needed to break free from Britain in order to thrive. When it comes to the spiritual life, what we need is the exact opposite; we need utter dependence on God. The biblical narrative is filled with accounts of those who depended on the LORD and thrived. It’s also filled with cautionary accounts of those who rebelled and went their own way, typically with disastrous results (see Achan in Joshua 7; Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5). My life, and perhaps yours, attests to this truth, as stubborn seasons of exhausting self-effort contrast with joyous times of relying on God and basking in His presence. Dependence upon God—childlike trust—is the foundation of life for all who would seek to know and serve Him. It doesn’t mean our problems vanish, but the more we submit ourselves under the Father's wise, loving ways, the more we experience a deep contentment and joy in even the most difficult circumstances.

Heavenly Father, you are good, and your love endures forever. As we draw near to You, placing our trust in you, we ask you to deepen our dependence. You are the vine; we are the branches. Hold us fast, that we would remain in you. Thank you for preparing pleasant places for us, both now and in eternity. Amen.