The Upper Room Diaries

Most (if not all) parents secretly love their children to depend on them. However due to the fallen nature of the world, people are poisoned to think better of independence and despise dependence due to pride. People who dwell in such a fallen world actually find it difficult to grasp the concept of continual (free) dependance on a god. They would tend to think that they owe god a favour and would need to return it, thus they obey that god.

I was reminded of a time when I was caught red-handed stealing money from my dad. He said this in Mandarin: “If you want money I will gladly give you. I love it when my children ask me for money. Just don’t steal.” I was reminded too that my mom, really loves to cook for us children even though it really tires her out. They do this out of love and never did they ask for anything in return.

Now, if humans like my mom and dad can feel this way, how can God who created us humans not understand how this idea works? The Bible says that we are created in the image of God and the whole message of the Bible shows God also to be very pleased when humans decide to depend entirely on Him. His request for payback? Nothing but sole continual dependance.

Jesus taught people about God using the illustration of sheep and the Shepherd. Now note that Jesus was not being nice when he liken humans as sheep. Sheep are dumb helpless animals. If the shepherd guides the sheep to a fence with a gate wide open and leave the sheep on its own to go through it, the sheep would burst through the fence. It is that dumb; and the shepherd has to guide the sheep all the way through. Both God and Jesus was portrayed to be the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18, Psalms 23), that means someone who delights in looking after these dumb and helpless animals.

When we look at John 15, on the pericope of the Vine and Branches. Jesus uses the vineyard to illustrate that usefulness happens only when the believer is connected to the source. The whole idea of the “Fruit of the Sprit” in Galatians 5:22-26 is not that it is something that could be gained through practice. It is something that the Holy Spirit produces when we continually abide in him. That is why it is called the Fruit of the Spirit, not Fruit of the Christian Practice.

Some of us look at our own big mountain and sigh. Try as we might, we may get so depressed and discouraged. We need to be reminded that God did not create humans to be able to scale such mountains on their own. Humans are not designed to carry so much burden. Now people are inclined to think “why then does God still put the mountain there, can’t He just take it away?” The answer is clear – so that we would be able to have the chance to learn how to depend on God. God did not call us to live ideal lives but has called us to deal with the demands of this world with total dependance on Him.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)

We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. (Phil. 4:13)
We are more than conquers through him who loves us. (Rom. 8:37)