We were lost & yet You found us,
Hidden & now revealed;
Disposed & yet You treasure us,
Loved & newly sealed.
You gave us this gift inside to find
A higher purpose to guide our lives.
Dependency on others and beyond our own kind
Leads us to You to be fully satisfied.
It is Your love that beckons us to burdens,
Set in life by You to guide,
To look beyond the sun above us,
And to see The Son sitting at Your side.
We were lost & yet You found us,
Hidden & now revealed;
Disposed & yet You treasure us,
Loved & newly sealed.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
We Need, therefore HE is...correction: HE IS, therefore we need
For a world where independence, self-sufficiency and self-provision are highly sought after, dependency based relationships seem to be not only the norm, but also the necessity.
I have found myself perplexed and contemplating this paradox in thanks to my course readings about foreign aid to developing nations and whether or not it is working, and why or why not. It hit me (thank you Jesus) while reading that we need each other but this world is so flawed that we exploit each other's needs for one another, holding it over people's heads as a bargaining tool, a source of pride, and a false sense of self-sufficiency. Apart from God, our relationships are so messed up that we hurt more people than we help. Intentions are not pure and thus others suffer.
We need, but only God can fulfill. This is a beautiful burden:
Fiscally, if you look at any market it is based on interlaced networks that need one another. People need one another to earn a living: employers depend on employees, businesses on investors, stock markets on businesses and investors, consumers on businesses and vice versa, farmers on consumers and consumers on farmers. If I think back to even my breakfast this morning it is very apparent that I relied on so multiple people: farmers for the oats in my oatmeal, landlord for a place to make my oatmeal, water commission for water to make my oatmeal and all of the employees there, a store which sold me my oatmeal, the cashier, microwave manufacturers and vendors, etc...and that barely scrapes the surface of everyone who made my breakfast possible. (Thank you). We need each other. It is impossible to go through life without depending on another person for survival (and for so much more-happiness, sanity, health)
Why then do we go through life pretending that we can do it all on our own? Not the point of this post, but some food for thought.
The truth of the matter is that intrinsically, we need one another. We live in a world and reality of innate dependency. This is a beautiful burden. Burden in that, if you have ever worked or even spoken with anyone who doesn't think like you or basically is not you, it is hard: miscommunications run rampant, feelings become hurt, misunderstandings flow freely. This has been the basis of how many conflicts? How many wars? How many business splits? How many divorces? Living with other people, needing other people indeed is burdensome (especially when we think that our way is always the right way). BUT, here is the beauty of it: it draws us to the realization that God exists, and more so, we need Him. Let me explain:
How can a world have such interlaced dependency occur by chance? The very fact that I depend on the earth's vegetation and fauna for food, shelter and clothing alone highlights this interlaced dependency that exists not only between humans, but also between humans and the earth. How can such a world be if it was formed without purpose, without design, but by mere coincidence? This beautiful burden of innate dependency draws us (or I believe is intended to do so) to the realization that God exists, that He is Creator, and that we need Him like the people and earth around us. (And I would argue even more so!).
Yes, our web of relationships are not perfect. People and nations and more so the earth are continually exploited by others, justice fails to reign and exclusionary principles segregate nations and people groups from one another resulting in uneven distribution of resources as people seek independence and self--sufficiency. The web is not perfect, but it exists nonetheless. The fact that it is so imperfect, so flawed, is because of its key player-us, man. Our sin distorts the perfect interlaced dependency upon which God spoke this world into existence.
So again, this intrinsic dependency draws the conclusion that we were created to need, we were created to depend, we were created to "love our neighbor as ourselves." Only One can meet those needs, only One can close the web of interlaced dependency that has become broken by self-seeking and independence. That is Christ. Life in Christ is freedom to depend as we were created to. I think the guys of Acts were onto something. "They shared all they had, nothing was considered their own." Again Christ says that we must deny ourselves to live a life to the full, we must depend on One whom is dependable.
To continue to seek independence is to continue to seek self-destruction. Me, this day, I shall seek the Lord, and I shall depend.
I have found myself perplexed and contemplating this paradox in thanks to my course readings about foreign aid to developing nations and whether or not it is working, and why or why not. It hit me (thank you Jesus) while reading that we need each other but this world is so flawed that we exploit each other's needs for one another, holding it over people's heads as a bargaining tool, a source of pride, and a false sense of self-sufficiency. Apart from God, our relationships are so messed up that we hurt more people than we help. Intentions are not pure and thus others suffer.
We need, but only God can fulfill. This is a beautiful burden:
Fiscally, if you look at any market it is based on interlaced networks that need one another. People need one another to earn a living: employers depend on employees, businesses on investors, stock markets on businesses and investors, consumers on businesses and vice versa, farmers on consumers and consumers on farmers. If I think back to even my breakfast this morning it is very apparent that I relied on so multiple people: farmers for the oats in my oatmeal, landlord for a place to make my oatmeal, water commission for water to make my oatmeal and all of the employees there, a store which sold me my oatmeal, the cashier, microwave manufacturers and vendors, etc...and that barely scrapes the surface of everyone who made my breakfast possible. (Thank you). We need each other. It is impossible to go through life without depending on another person for survival (and for so much more-happiness, sanity, health)
Why then do we go through life pretending that we can do it all on our own? Not the point of this post, but some food for thought.
The truth of the matter is that intrinsically, we need one another. We live in a world and reality of innate dependency. This is a beautiful burden. Burden in that, if you have ever worked or even spoken with anyone who doesn't think like you or basically is not you, it is hard: miscommunications run rampant, feelings become hurt, misunderstandings flow freely. This has been the basis of how many conflicts? How many wars? How many business splits? How many divorces? Living with other people, needing other people indeed is burdensome (especially when we think that our way is always the right way). BUT, here is the beauty of it: it draws us to the realization that God exists, and more so, we need Him. Let me explain:
How can a world have such interlaced dependency occur by chance? The very fact that I depend on the earth's vegetation and fauna for food, shelter and clothing alone highlights this interlaced dependency that exists not only between humans, but also between humans and the earth. How can such a world be if it was formed without purpose, without design, but by mere coincidence? This beautiful burden of innate dependency draws us (or I believe is intended to do so) to the realization that God exists, that He is Creator, and that we need Him like the people and earth around us. (And I would argue even more so!).
Yes, our web of relationships are not perfect. People and nations and more so the earth are continually exploited by others, justice fails to reign and exclusionary principles segregate nations and people groups from one another resulting in uneven distribution of resources as people seek independence and self--sufficiency. The web is not perfect, but it exists nonetheless. The fact that it is so imperfect, so flawed, is because of its key player-us, man. Our sin distorts the perfect interlaced dependency upon which God spoke this world into existence.
So again, this intrinsic dependency draws the conclusion that we were created to need, we were created to depend, we were created to "love our neighbor as ourselves." Only One can meet those needs, only One can close the web of interlaced dependency that has become broken by self-seeking and independence. That is Christ. Life in Christ is freedom to depend as we were created to. I think the guys of Acts were onto something. "They shared all they had, nothing was considered their own." Again Christ says that we must deny ourselves to live a life to the full, we must depend on One whom is dependable.
To continue to seek independence is to continue to seek self-destruction. Me, this day, I shall seek the Lord, and I shall depend.
Ezekiel 34:11-31
New International Version (NIV) (biblegateway.com)
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety. 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.[a] I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord."
17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety. 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.[a] I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord."
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