And we have heard that Christ has brought healing. That He came to lead the captives free from bondage. That we can anticipate relational restoration to the Creator of the universe and the One who formed us into the person we are today.
Praise the Lord, Halleluiah.
Yet, the fierceness of our culture has instructed us into our having to be independent.
“Buck up and be a man!” “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” This belt or drink or night with a lady or ceremony or responsibility will make a man out of you.
We need to be as sturdy as iron or be thought a wet noodle. We need to be emotionally secure or be branded a weak whiner. Our heroes are John Wayne, James Bond, Rambo, Rocky or the Gladiator… people who take on the forces of evil alone and triumph.
But these heroes are all loners who don’t need anyone.
This instructs our hearts that needing anyone for anything is a sign of weakness, a handicap.
Do you see the tension?
Before the fall and before the war began… we were created to be in utter dependence to God. Christ gives us the story of us being the branches and we need to cling with all diligence to the vine or else we will never bear fruit.
Here is where we draw life – how it was meant to be.
Christ is not mocking us or rolling His eyes wondering when He is going to get some real men who will pull it together and stop being such needy children. He doesn’t think we just need a good butt-kicking.
Why is that how we think?
We need to be strong, talented, firm in the use of our gifts, competent in automotive repair and carpentry else we won't feel like a man. Don’t forget to add financially secure and lovingly tender to our wives.
Ah, the sickness of our culture turning the beauty of our grapes to sour wine.
No, we were made to depend upon God! We were made to be in union to Him. Nothing about us works right without gaining our strength in Him.
As C. S. Lewis wrote, “A car is made to run on gasoline, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.”
I am the world’s light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in. John 8:12
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