Independence

From the moment we are born until the day we die, we are dependent beings. We depend upon our parents to feed us, clothe us, and raise us. Then when we are senior citizens, we depend upon our children to take care of various needs. In between, during the teenage and young adult years, independence is what we struggle to gain. But that is one thing that we never truly receive – total independence.

God, on the other hand, achieves total independence. Wayne Grudem defines it in this way, “God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify Him and bring Him joy.” While everything we do on earth pulls us toward another person, or another person toward us, God exists and is because of who He is. “God exists by virtue of his very nature…He was never created and never came into being. He always was.”

He does not rely upon what we do, say, think, or feel. To put it bluntly, God does not need us. This seems like a harsh statement. It may even hurt our feelings a little bit. Yet the Scriptures reveal that it is true. The Apostle Paul promoted this idea with his words to the lost men of Athens in Acts 17:24-25, when he said, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.”

And while you may feel hurt friend, there is an awesome balance to the independence of our great God. While He does not need us to exist, He still has created us, and chosen to love us. Grudem said, “God has created us and He has determined that we would be meaningful to Him.” What greater joy can there be for the human race, than to know that we have been created so that we might experience the love of God and Christ?