Session 25

Who do you lean on the most?

From Mark: A 6-Week Devotional

Have you ever noticed how a little child clings to a parent? With an open heart and open arms, he reaches out, trusting that he will be nurtured and protected in his parent's loving embrace.  When fear and uncertainty overcome him, the child turns to his parent for answers and comfort.

As children, we’re reliant on our parents for everything. But somewhere along the way, we let go of our parents and believe we can do everything ourselves. We seek independence and recognition. We insist on proving we are worthy of respect, admiration, and perhaps even worship.

Too often, the same pattern is true of our relationship with our heavenly Father. We start out relying on Him for everything. But the larger our egos become, the less we believe we need a Savior. Another way of thinking about the word ‘ego’ is as an acronym for “Edging God Out.”

In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus encourages us to become like children, because “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” When we open our hearts and humble ourselves, we understand that we can’t get into heaven by our own works. Instead, we must reach out to our heavenly Father with a childlike trust, believing that He saves us because we can’t save ourselves. Then, like a newborn baby, we begin to grow and thrive in God’s love and protection.

Reflect:

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how self-reliant would you say you are? Is your independence edging God out of your life?
• Jesus tells us that “anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35). When was the last time you served someone expecting nothing in return?​