A Declaration of Dependence
Dave Faust
The Israelites must have been excited as they approached the border of Canaan, for they were on the brink of entering "a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey." But Moses warned against the sin of self-sufficiency. "Praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. . . . Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down . . . then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 8:7–14). "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). King Nebuchadnezzar learned that lesson the hard way. After arrogantly patting himself on the back for his achievements, the powerful king of Babylon endured a humiliating period of insanity until he finally came to his senses and said, "Now I . . . praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble" (Daniel 4:37).
What about America today? Have we forgotten God? Are we basking in God's blessings without seeking to obey him? Make no mistake about it: God is still in charge, and he's still able to humble the proud. Maybe it's time for us to issue a declaration of dependence.
Our lives depend on God. All that we have and all that we are, we owe to him. "In him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).
Our laws depend on God. His truth determines what is right and what is wrong. Individually and nationally, his Word provides a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105).
Our liberty depends on God. He calls us to be free, but not selfishly so. Real freedom in Christ moves us to "serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13).
Our families depend on God. "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1).
Our future depends on God. "There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:18).
Francis Scott Key stated it well in the last stanza of our national anthem (a stanza we seldom sing): "Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause is just; And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'"
Recently I accepted the call to become senior minister of East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. I love to preach the Word, and I'm eager to serve with God's people in this dynamic congregation.
At the same time, the elders at East 91st and my employers at Standard Publishing have enthusiastically embraced a plan that allows me the privilege of continuing to write this weekly column and working on a limited basis with The Lookout. I'll continue to provide editorial direction to the magazine while devoting my full-time energies to the church.
I love the local church, and during the last three years as editor of The Lookout I have developed a deep appreciation for the impact of Christian journalism. Please pray for me, my family, the congregation at East 91st, and this magazine as we embark on a new adventure, depending heavily on God's guidance and strength.
This column first appeared in The Lookout on Jul 4, 1999.
A Debt We Owe Our Children
A letter arrived in my mailbox recently offering a credit card with a low interest rate and a credit line up to $50,000 with no annual fee. Nothing terribly unusual about that, you say? Well, this letter was addressed to Mindy, my 13-year-old daughter! Evidently the potential lender acquired her name from a mailing list, but didn't realize her age.
A First-Century Church for the Twenty-First Century
In 1900, Wilbur Wright wrote a letter to a friend in which he said, "For some years I have been afflicted with the belief that flight is possible to man." His commitment to flying was so all-consuming, he wrote, "I feel that it will soon cost me an increased amount of money, if not my life."