Dependent on God Alone

^{Author’s Note: For the past nine months, I have been consumed with the vision of planting a church in downtown Denver. This vision has called me and my family to a life of travel, a part-time job, and constant change. As the owner of SI, I have felt detached from the site I started almost three years ago. I appreciate the crew that has pinch-hit for me. For the next week, I’d like to update you on what God has been showing me over the past nine months. I will do so by publishing some articles that I wrote for our prayer partners.}

Hudson Taylor tells a story that has convicted me lately. While this young man was preparing to go to China as a missionary, he went to take a course in medicine at the London Hospital. His father volunteered to cover his living expenses while he was there, and so did his mission board, the Chinese Evangelisation Society. He informed both parties of the dual offers and asked if he could have some time to pray about the matter. After spending several days in prayer, it became clear to him that he should decline both offers. He wrote a letter to each party, knowing they would assume the other party had picked up the tab. Taylor then wrote in his journal, “I was simply in the hands of God, and that He who knew my heart, if He wished to encourage me to go to China, would bless my effort to depend on Him alone at home” (p. 155). Now that’s dependence! Trust is perhaps one of the most unnatural things for humans to do. Ever since we were born, we were subconsciously trained to trust in our own strength. Webster’s Dictionary defines “dependence” as “relying on another for support.” For a missionary, when we hear the word “support,” pictures of individuals and churches can pop into our heads. In fact, isn’t that what deputation is? Raising support from those who have for those who have not? In a subtle way, even missionaries are prone to get their eyes off whom the “another” is referring to in the definition.

You wouldn’t think that a pastor would struggle with dependence on God, but I do. Every day. We were sent out by our home church on May 20, 2007, to embark on the road to start a ministry in downtown Denver. I didn’t realize how dependent I had become upon other means besides God Himself. Let me explain. For eleven years, I had received a paycheck every two weeks without fail. While many would say the consistent paycheck isn’t a bad thing, I now see that subtly over time I ended up trusting my employer to come through for me. In fact, when I received the check, I didn’t utter a prayer of thanks to the Lord. I just made sure that it was the right amount and that the withholdings were accurate. My, how things have changed!

Dependence is something that has to be relearned on a regular basis. It’s easy to fall into the Christian trap of thinking, I’ve already learned that lesson. If we had a true grasp of our own fleshly nature though, we would realize that every lesson learned often has to be learned countless times. Dependence on God is one of those lessons one never fully grasps once and for all. It’s a daily thing. We are prone to trust in other things—often several times a day. The Bible gives us many warnings about misplaced trust. We can trust in money (1 Tim. 6:17), idols (Isa. 42:17), our own righteousness (Luke 18:12), personal strength (1 Sam. 17:43-45). Isaiah chided the people of Israel because they always seemed to cast their dependence on the arm of the flesh instead of on God. Isaiah 31:1 says, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!” It’s so easy in America to trust in medical care, insurance policies, employment, technology, and people. In church work, it’s easy to rely on buildings, budgets, and programs. However, trusting in such things only results in misery. In God’s eyes, the most miserable way to live is to trust in something besides Him for our everything. I like what missionary Joy Ridderhof once said. “Friends are saying to me, ‘What are people who are living by faith going to do when money gets tight and depression comes?’ The thought came to me that the real question is, ‘What are people who are not living by faith going to do?’” To put your trust in false Deliverers will only lead to despair. We must daily ask ourselves the question, “Who or what are we depending on?”

The blessings of a God-dependent life are many. Living every day as if our every breath came from the Lord causes the believer to rest under the good hand of God. Isaiah 26:3 talks about the peace that comes from a dependent life. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Peace under pressure is supernatural. It’s a gift of God’s grace. While financial “insecurity” would tend to be overwhelming for us, our family has watched God provide for us financially in some wonderful ways over the past months. An individual paid for a weekend getaway with our family before we left on deputation. Our home church took up a gracious love offering for us. People have slipped us cash as we walk through church foyers. A relative sent us a check out of the blue. An unemployed man wrote a check that matched the largest gift we’ve received from any church or individual donor. Psalm 5:11 has proven to be true. “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them.” The stability that comes from a God-dependence is far greater than any regular paycheck can provide. Dependence on God, learned every day, slowly begins to build an unwavering trust that causes believers to do great things through Christ.

I’m not sure I’m a stronger Christian (whatever that means) than I was a year ago. In fact, I really feel weak. However, weak people have some distinct advantages. They are completely aware that they need to look outside themselves for strength. And not to Egypt. Not to donors. Not to churches. But to God alone.

Jason Janz, SharperIron site publisher, is planting Providence Bible Church in downtown Denver. Formerly, he served as an assistant pastor at Red Rocks Baptist Church (Morrison, CO). He has a bachelor’s degree in Bible and is currently finishing a master’s degree in theology. He has been married to Jennifer for 10 years, and they have four boys. His interests include pastoring, reading, and wrestling with his boys. He likes SI because of how it helps serve pastors and church leaders.

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