Which Way Do You Lean?

Dear Friends,

On the drive to work this morning, I turned on the “oldies” radio station - and was happy to hear the song “Lean On Me” playing. It’s one of my favorite songs from back in the day - and fortunately, no one else was in the car with me, so I was able to crank up the volume, and sing along.

For those of you not familiar with the song, it’s from the early 1970’s - and the lyrics encourage friends to lean on each other for help and support. At one point, the song says, “Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend. I’ll help you carry on.” And as I sang those words this morning, it struck me that God gives us the same message. God wants to be the one we lean on. He wants to be the one who helps us carry on.

It was a good reminder for me, because it's all too easy for me to head into the day depending on my own ability to get me through. And what's true for me, is true for all of us. Whether we realize it or not, we all lean on things as we go through our day-to-day lives. Some of us lean on our intelligence. Others lean on physical strength. For some, it’s beauty. And still others lean on wealth, or achievements, or friends, or family. All of those things are gifts from God - and so they should be enjoyed. However, each of those examples can also easily let us down, which is why we shouldn’t lean - or depend - on them.

Instead, God calls us to lean on Him. Proverbs 3:5 makes this point, as it tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” This verse makes it clear that our dependance should be on God - not on ourselves. And that’s because, while the things of this world come and go easily, God does not. He is always the same - yesterday, today, and tomorrow. So we can count on His promises, and we can depend on His strength, and we can rely on His direction.

So today, let’s enjoy all the gifts and blessings God has given us - but let’s not depend on them. Instead, as we go through the day, and as challenges come up, let’s lean on God. Let’s look to Him to be our friend, and to help us carry on.

Amen?

Daniel