Say the words "life support" and folks think immediately of someone who is being kept alive on a machine. The person is totally dependent upon someone (or something) else to keep him or her alive. Few - if any - of us would want to be in such a position.
But read the teachings of Jesus or of Paul and you quickly come to one conclusion. The "abundant life" is not humanly possible. In fact, it springs from the abundance that only God can give, and keeps giving as we rely totally on Him.
When I think of this dynamic, sometimes I think of baby robins, which I believe to be the ultimate picture of utter dependence on God. Totally helpless to fend for themselves, all baby robins know to do is to ask mom or dad for the basic stuff of life. They do this loudly and persistently. They cannot fly, they cannot feed themselves, they can't even see at first. They are only "activated" in their asking for help, by the presence of the parent-provider.
It's one of the pictures that comes to mind when I read the words of God through the pen of an unknown psalmist, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." (Ps. 81:10) Or the words of Jesus, "Without Me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5) I'm also reminded of part of a familiar passage I like to listen to, from what some call "The Big Book." It goes like this: "Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power. That One is God: may you find Him now. Half-measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon."
Living moment-by-moment in total dependence on God is the only way to keep from succumbing to the delusion that we can make life work on our own terms. And the more we realize that we are just like those baby robins, the more we will get out of our own way and rely totally on Him.
Now that's Life support.
But read the teachings of Jesus or of Paul and you quickly come to one conclusion. The "abundant life" is not humanly possible. In fact, it springs from the abundance that only God can give, and keeps giving as we rely totally on Him.
When I think of this dynamic, sometimes I think of baby robins, which I believe to be the ultimate picture of utter dependence on God. Totally helpless to fend for themselves, all baby robins know to do is to ask mom or dad for the basic stuff of life. They do this loudly and persistently. They cannot fly, they cannot feed themselves, they can't even see at first. They are only "activated" in their asking for help, by the presence of the parent-provider.
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| Source (through Google Images): http://badanimalpuns.com/2009/05/06/ birds-eye-view-of-history/ |
Living moment-by-moment in total dependence on God is the only way to keep from succumbing to the delusion that we can make life work on our own terms. And the more we realize that we are just like those baby robins, the more we will get out of our own way and rely totally on Him.
Now that's Life support.
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