Dependence, Deliverance, and Devotion

Children inherently trust their parents. We don’t have to earn their trust. However, we can lose their trust if we are not dependable and consistent.

God intentionally places us in a position of trust with our children so that we can use this opportunity to teach them to trust in Him. No one demonstrates trust in God better than Jesus. Let’s consider the trust that Jesus places in God the Father by looking to the Psalms.

A Look at the Psalms

You may have heard of Messianic Psalms. These are those Psalms that point to Christ in some way. Some are more explicit than others. Few are as explicit as Psalm 40. This is true because the writer of the book of Hebrews attributes a portion of Psalm 40 to Christ Himself. We read in Hebrews 10:5-7,

“Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’”

In the context of the book of Hebrews, the writer is speaking of Christ and His sacrifice as being superior to that of the animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant. As the writer makes this case, he quotes from Psalm 40.

In Psalm 40, David writes of his dependence on God because of God’s faithful deliverance. David had personally experienced the power and plan of God as God had, on many occasions, delivered him. God’s deliverance of David had led him not only to depend entirely on the Lord but also to give his devotion to God in the truest sense.

David was aware of the futility of a sacrifice that was given without a heart of genuine love for and submission to God. In this Psalm, David commits himself to heartfelt worship.

Three Lessons to Glean

Interestingly, David was writing not only for himself. These words are picked up in the New Testament, and the writer of the book of Hebrews applies them to Christ Himself. What truths should parents learn from this Psalm that we can then teach to our children?

1. God is glorified by our total dependence upon Him.

This is seen in the phrase - “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire… The Israelites in the Old Testament lost sight of what the sacrificial system was truly about. They went through the motions, but they were not truly depending on God for forgiveness. They were depending on the ritual. God saves people. Religious ritual does nothing for you apart from God. Depend on Him alone for grace and mercy.

As fathers, we may be tempted to go through the motions with our children. We can take them to church or pray before mealtime, but they need to see something deeper than that.

We must make the connection between what we do and what we believe. Help your children to understand that we go do these things because we are seeking to live in joyful obedience to and dependence upon the God who loves us with perfect love.

2. God prepares us for service to Him.

The phrase, “a body You have prepared for Me” emphasizes this. The wording between the Psalm and the book of Hebrews is somewhat different, but the underlying idea is the same. Bible Scholar Dr. Allen Ross helpfully notes,

“The psalmist’s point is that God made him in such a way that he would hear and do what the LORD wanted.”¹

This truth is vitally important for our children to understand. The sovereign God of the universe doesn’t make mistakes. He has perfectly prepared us to do the things that He calls us to do. Your children will struggle with certain aspects of who they are as they live in a world filled with critics. Help them to understand that God’s good design can be trusted and that they have been uniquely prepared to serve Him.

3. God gives us instructions on how to depend on Him.

For both the Psalmist and Christ, God’s revelation was sufficient. God had given clarity on Who He was and how He was to be approached. No one knows this better than Christ Himself, and through His death and resurrection, He has opened up the pathway of fellowship with God. Once again, Ross notes,

“With the psalmist, all believers accept that ‘in the roll of the book it is prescribed for’ each one of them. God’s word informs them what God approves of and what God appoints for them to do.”²

Conclusion

In summary, Christ’s perfect dependence on the Father in all things is our standard and guide. It was the perfect obedience and submission of God the Son to God the Father that resulted in our salvation. This shows us that there is no better path for us to follow.

Our children need to see that we are not self-sufficient. Their trust in God will be encouraged as we show them what trust looks like. Saturate your mind with God’s Word and let them hear you pour your heart out to God. Let them see you align your life with God’s priorities.

Speak to them often of how much God has done for you and for the family. Make much of your daily need for Christ. Remind them that we are created beings who depend on our Creator for everything.

Footnotes

1. Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms 1–89, 864–865. ↩

2. Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms 1–89, 866 ↩