DEPENDENCE – Part 2 of 3

Busyness is not a Christian virtue and spiritual maturity is not measured by the amount of work we accomplish – no matter what we’re busy doing or how much we get done…

Let’s be honest about it: So often we think that everything depends upon us. We figure if anything is to get done, we’ve got to roll up our sleeves, pitch in, and do it. And so we labor on, working seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, wearing ourselves out, wearying ourselves… and missing out on all our God intends for us.

The Lord focused His anger on the Pharisees who burdened His people with such effort-ridden activity. He was never angry with those they burdened. He called them to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11:28). But it made Him very angry when the clergy taught people that God’s work must be done by self-effort. That’s what made them so weary and destroyed their will to go on. And it’s what makes the way for us so long, too.

Solomon wrote: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat -- for He grants sleep to those He loves.” (Psalm 127:1-2) 

-- Adapted from “A Beacon in The Darkness: Reflecting God’s Light in Today’s Word” by John Roper

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