Independence...

As my girls get older I realize that they are becoming more and more independent. If I'm doing my job well as a Mom, I am actually preparing them to leave the nest...to be independent adults.

As Americans we value independence. In fact, we've fought wars for it. We sign declarations about it. We teach our children to tie their shoes, get themselves dressed, hold their own bottles, balance a checkbook, and do their own laundry. All so they can be independent someday. It's a part of our culture. And it is good. We shouldn't rely on Mommy and Daddy to feed us forever. And reliance on the government for our care isn't good either. And if independence means we are free from tyranny and persecution, it's definitely a good thing.

But is independence what God wants for us? I believe the answer to that is a really loudly yelled , "No!" In a world where are are taught from infancy to become independent, God wants us to unlearn that and teach us to be totally dependent...on Him!

Here's the thing. Eric left his job as a partner in a Big 4 accounting firm almost a year ago. Yes, he got a nice buyout. Yes, he is now working in a job that he absolutely loves. And yes, we have managed to pay our bills each month...so far.

But there will come a time, only God knows, when the money will run out. The buyout, the retirement accounts, the life insurance savings, will run out. And then we won't be able to pay our bills. We have no idea when that will happen. We have no idea what we'll do when it does. We have no idea how we've lasted as long as we have.

Or maybe we do. We have become dependent. Not on government or other people or some faceless institution. We have become dependent on God. We know that He is the only person we can depend on. We know that He knows what's going to happen when. We know that we are precious to Him, that He takes cares of birds in fields, and that He knows how many hairs are on the tops of our heads. So why would we think He wouldn't take care of us?

So while we were both taught to be independent, God is teaching us something else entirely. He is teaching us to depend on Him. To trust that He has great plans for us, plans to prosper us and give us a future. And so, that is what we are trying to do...every day...sometimes I have to remind myself to do it every hour...or even minute. Because I have thought for so long that I had to do it all by myself...how great is our God that He doesn't expect or even want me to do that any longer!

O Praise Him!