Depend on the Lord

An ancient Hebrew fable goes like this: Once there was a small leaf attached to the upper limb of a tall tree. The leaf was very content with its good life until it saw the birds flying above the forest. The leaf, then, yearned to be "free like the birds," free to fly and experience many different things. The leaf struggled and struggled to be free and finally it broke loose and was free! It could now flit about as it pleased! It finally got its way! How exhilarating it was for the leaf to see all the strange, new sights! It was great!

What an experience! What a life! Soon, however, the leaf began its journey downward and, eventually, it joined the other dead and dying leaves on the forest floor. There the sun's lethal rays struck the leaf. As the leaf withered and died, it cried out, "This is not freedom! This is not freedom! This is death!" Too late the leaf realized that freedom does not mean SEPARATION AND COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE. How wrong it was!

There are people and groups of people who think that only complete liberty with license to do anything one desires is freedom. They are set on doing "as they please." They will listen to no one. They are only interested in "doing their own thing." They are proud, conceited, stubborn and selfish. They will trample others to get their way. They will lie, cheat, betray, slander. "Everyone must be free to do his/her thing," they insist. And this kind of "freedom" - independence from the holy Lord God, His way, His will, His Word - always marks the beginning of thejourneydownward. It cannot be otherwise. Galatians 6:7 reminds us, "Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that he will also reap. Those who sow to their own flesh will reap corruption; but those who sow to the Spirit will reap eternal life." As people of God, we know that the answer to real freedom is definitely not in "doing our own thing". T r u e and lasting freedom does not mean complete INDEPENDENCE, but rather complete DEPENDENCE on the Lord our God - having a heart that cries out, "Lord, what would

YOU have me to do?" Only as we DEPEND on God for His love, mercy, grace and strength, which He gives us through Christ Jesus, do we have freedom - especially the forgiveness of all our sins.

Only when we DEPEND on the Lord God to provide us with spiritual food, His Word, do we have the strengthening of our faith in His Son our Savior who reminds us, "If you continue in My Word, then are you MY disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you FREE." John 8:31. Only as we DEPEND ON THE LORD can we hope for that life which can never be separated from God, that life in Him Who declares, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He that believes in Me though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." John 11:25-26. In John 8:36 we are reminded, "If the Son therefore shall make you FREE, you shall be

FREE indeed." Oh yes, Christ Jesus FREES us so that now we can live to Him, with Him and for Him and "we can do all things through Him Who strengthens us."