the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Daily Devotionals
Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
"When in the course of human events..." So begins one of the most important documents in the history of the United States of America. The "Declaration of Independence" was fashioned in 1776 for the express purpose of being just what it was called...a declaration of the intention of the colonies founded by England to be independent of the Motherland. It ignited a war whose final outcome and result was realized in 1783 when England recognized the independence of what was now being called the United States of America.
The entire civilized world had been abuzz due to the great struggle of our emerging nation. Colonization had been fairly standard procedure for the nations of the world in the eighteenth century. Expanding a nation's holdings and mining the newly discovered wealth of a conquered society was common. Some nations did it by settlement and agreement. Others did it by force. That is why the English referred to those sent from their shores as settlers and pilgrims while the Spanish used the term "conquistadores" which means "conquerors", unless my Spanish has failed me.
No one bothered to ask if the nation being settled or the one being conquered desired such a thing. No one bothered to ask the important questions of the effects that all of this settling and conquering would have on the already existent society. For the most part, no one really cared. The fact that nations could sail the great distances involved in these activities and survive such voyages curried a confidence in their personal superiority to the lands they were "discovering". Not so with God.
God hasn't discovered anything concerning man. Man is His creation. God isn't claiming anything that wasn't formerly His either. And he isn't conquering man. He is helping man to conquer that which would threaten the peace that God wishes to bring. Those of us who are in Christ have come to realize that while we are free, truly free, in Christ, we are, nonetheless, dependent upon Him and His Father for all that we are.
There is a sort of "Declaration of Dependence" which focuses we Christians on the reality of our relationship with God. It is very simple, very short, yet very powerful. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6,7 We are not the settled, not the conquered; we are the cared for.
'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' Copyright 2010 © Tom Kelley. 'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' articles may be reproduced in whole under the following provisions: 1) A proper credit must be given to the author at the end of each story, along with their complete bio and a link to https://www.studylight.org/ 2) 'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' content may not be arranged or "mirrored" as a competitive online service.
