Let's explore this concept.
A child is dependent upon their parents for many things...food, shelter, training. And in an odd change of role, often a parent becomes dependent on the child at some point when they are older and the child is grown. Wives are dependent on husbands, husbands are dependent on wives. Pastors are dependent on congregations, congregations are dependent on pastors. Students are dependent on teachers, and really, teachers are dependent on students (if there were no students...there would be no one to teach).
All of the above are relationships. I can't think of any relationship that does NOT involve dependency of some sort! There may be different levels of dependency, there may be good dependency and bad dependency, but there is always SOME level of dependency in relationship.
That being the case, then I ask, why do we think we can have a relationship with Christ without depending on HIM? Why do we go about our lives, living for ourselves? Why do we only 'fit' God in when it is convenient for us or beneficial for us? Would we have a relationship with our husbands, teachers, pastors, or parents if we treated them like that?
I have a 'relationship' right now that is nearly all one way. In this 'relationship' contact is rare. Time spent together is rare, and mostly because our lives are 'busy'. The question is...what kind of relationship do we have? Is there a closeness that is appropriate for that 'type' of relationship? Do we trust each other, can we be open with each other, would we depend on the other person in a crunch? Absolutely not! It has become more of an association than a relationship.
I have come to understand that association is acknowledgement, relationship is dependency! In the above example, I acknowledge the person for who they are, or what role they play in my life, but I am not dependent on them. But with GOD, He wants us to not simply acknowledge his role, but be dependent FULLY on Him!
Christ longs for us to trust Him, to depend on Him for our every breath, to commune with Him continually, to come to Him in a crunch, to allow Him access to every part of our life so that an intimacy...a closeness can be established. Christ LONGS for relationship with US! Our purpose is to have RELATIONSHIP with Him! DEPENDENCY on Him!
Have you ever seen that analogy with the jar, walnuts and rice. When demonstrated, someone takes and puts all the rice inside a jar and then tries to stuff in all the walnuts....surprise...they don't fit! But then, they put the walnuts in and pour the rice in afterward and it all goes in smoothly! The point being, if we put the important things in life first, then the other things in life will fall into place. But I'd like to challenge that...Life isn't just about putting the walnuts in your jar first so that the rice all fits nicely in...It's about letting God SUPPLY the jar, walnuts, and rice...all according to His Plan! Are you gathering your own walnuts or are you dependent upon God to SUPPLY ALL?
