Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. — Gilbert K. Chesterton
When my kids were little, they were totally dependent on me for everything: Food, shelter, love, all of it. They could do nothing without my provision. When we think of dependent people, Jesus probably isn’t even on the list. But He was. Big time.
The granddaddy of all the passages that teach that Jesus was dependent on the Father during His time on earth is John 14. It’s a beautiful picture of the dependence of a son on his father… of the Son on the Father, showing the intimacy Jesus and the Father share—an intimacy He invites us into. In verse six, we get a glimpse of something deeper:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6)
Christ is our only access to the Father. By knowing Christ, we get to know the Father. Jesus was teaching His disciples that they shouldn’t just look to Him to get stuff because there is no other way, no other path, to the presence of God.
It’s easy to lose track of why we worship. We tend to want to worship Jesus because of the stuff we think He’ll give us in return. It doesn’t work that way. He offers us not only salvation but the Father. It’s that simple, and it’s enough.
God, I praise You that You offer so much more than simple provision. You offer us access to You through humble dependence. That is enough, Father. You are enough for me. Amen.