I really do love the July 4th parades, picnics, lake sports and the finale of the fireworks. It's the climax of the holiday weekend to sit and watch the amazing colorful explosions created to celebrate our country's independence from England. Independence Day is a powerful turn in our country's beginning and one to remember as a U.S. citizen. We love our independence.

I realize how true this is of me. I love my independence or the illusion I have of it. The word independence means to have freedom from outside control or support. I find that my life has cycles where I am struggling to be free of any outside control and support. I am simply looking to myself for my identity and sense of personal freedom. The more I struggle to find this elusive independence the more I realize how dependent I am. I need God and I need the support of others.

We work so hard to have this personal relationship with Jesus but fail to live the interdependent way Jesus asks us to. We need God and we need the support of others. Why do we work so hard to be independent of God and others?

David wrote often in the psalms about his full dependence on God even though he had his failures with seeking independence. He will often use words like trust, hope and refuge to describe his overwhelming need to be dependent on God. Read his words of confession.

Psalms 71

1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;

   let me never be put to shame.

2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;

   turn your ear to me and save me.

3 Be my rock of refuge,

   to which I can always go;

give the command to save me,

   for you are my rock and my fortress.

May we all embrace our independent decision to trust and follow Jesus, acknowledge our full dependence on God for everything and live wholly interdependent with others.