Autonomy

Posted on September 18, 2019 by America's Keswick in Victory Call

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools… Romans 1:20-22

Independence. Our culture thrives on it. We have come to believe and function as if we are our own gods.  We get to choose our own truth. “That may be your truth but it’s not my truth.” Culture is telling us that we now get to choose if we have a sexual preference for the opposite sex or the same sex or both and whichever we choose is well within our rights. The natural progression of this way of thinking is the pressure on children, teens and adults alike to decide, to choose which gender they want to be, or none at all,  because that too is their personal choice.  My heart is heavy even as I write this.

Autonomy.  Like cancer, a heart of autonomy seeks to capture as much ground as possible, unrelenting. It is evident in our culture. Independence. Autonomy. Personal Choice.  But our culture is made up of people. Like a rogue wave in the restless ocean, it barrels in and catches bystanders unaware and drags everyone and everything with it as it rolls and tumbles towards shore.

As believers, we stand against much of where culture is dragging our nation, and people with it, but we cannot stand unaffected by it.  Do you feel the burden to pray like I do?  Literally, God help us for apart from Him, we cannot stand. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all (Isaiah 7:9-NIV).

Lest we think this is a problem outside of us, it is the very root of sin in our own lives. It may not be sexual preference or embracing relative truth, but it is there.  It is there in our gossip, in our anger, in our pride and arrogance, in our unkindness and harsh words, in our apathy, in our impatience, in our isolation. It is there in every selfish choice and action. We chose autonomy – self direction.

I believe this quote sums it up better than I can:

“The truth about me is that God made and loves me. The truth about those sitting beside me is that God made them and loves them, and each one is therefore my neighbor. The truth about the world is that God rules and provides for it.   The truth about what is wrong with the world is that I and the neighbor sitting beside me have sinned in refusing to let God be for us, over us and in us.”[i]

I don’t know the answer. I this I do know (please do not race through this part):

Like Jehoshaphat we can pray: For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12

Because Jesus came we have hope: All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:3-5 (underlining added)

 “…he who is in (us) is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (parenthesis added[ii])

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4

Christ in (us), the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 (parenthesis added[iii])

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. 2 Corinthians 2:  14-16

Please re-read this last Scripture again and again and allow God to infuse your heart with hope today.

Blessings,

Diane

Written By Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and provides ministry support from her home in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

Think About This: One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy. – Elisabeth Elliot

The Daily Bible Reading: Amos 4-6, John 7:28-53| You can download our 2019 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! – Psalm 139:17

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.

 

[i] Eugene H. Peterson. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society Commemorative Edition, IVP Books, 2019.

[ii] Pronoun changed from you to us

[iii] Pronoun changed from you to us