on independence...

August 15 has definitely been an august occasion for the country for on that day we have freed ourselves from the clutches of the British regime.For a christian what does it mean to be living in an independent country?Well has anything at all changed for him?For somebody who doesnt know christ is he really independent?Its worth considering.

We are living in a culture where being independent has been over stressed and having a type of "individuality" is considered the mark of personal success and maturity.Though it is true to a certain extent since each individual is of a different phenotype and spiritual make thanks to the diverse creative acts of god,most often than not in the contemporary "hip" culture being independent of others is lauded and looked upon by the friends and parents and even being encouraged by the society."I want to be free" is the slogan being shouted loud from the rooftops.Since the concept of submission is seen as a sign of weakness and defeat independence is worshiped by the world.There is no place for the "dependent" people namely the orphans,differently abled,and aged in this world.They are seen as a liability to the existing workforce of this world.Paradoxically its the same society which laments about fractured family and non existent community life.I used to wonder why there is no celebration of "communion" as intensely and joyous as "independence"?

The situation was no different in the garden of Eden where the issue at stake was "How to be independent of god"?When god was communing with man daily the temptation came to him in the form of an offer to be independent.When you become like god you are independent of him.Why do you need him at all was the rhetoric sounded by the serpent.The same temptation is stronger than ever before and we need to cautiously escape its clutches or else we become the victims of our own choices.Its imperative that we remain dependent to god and our fellow beings esp the body of Christ.

When Christ came into this world, he chose himself people for communion.He was devoid of that arrogant pride "i am god , i can do it alone" attitude though the communion itself created scars in the form of denial and rejection.Most often than not its the fear of scars which pushes people to choose independence over communion.Personally i am challenged this season is there a way of creating an environment of interdependence and communion with people in our lives even as we celebrate the independence of our nation?Of course we need to fight a strong battle with our ego and pride if we want to see this as a reality and i believe its possible by the power of the one who lived in perfect communion with the father(....so i say whatever the father tells me to say.-John 12-49 NLT") who lived in dependence of him but not independent of him!


"Let us endeavour to obtain, and increase in, a sensibleness of our great dependence on God, to have our eye to him alone, to mortify a self-dependent and self-righteous disposition. " - Jonathan Edwards