Jesus is God. He is the one who brought this world into existence. He created everything, and as Colossians 1:17 states, "in Him, all things hold together."

Yet, as a man, Jesus lived in dependence on his Father. This is important, because it is the very way God designed us to live. We are created beings. The only way to truly flourish and live out our full humanness is through a dependence on our creator.

That really steps on our pride and that fleshly desire to be independent and free. We want to say, "I did it my way." But that is not the way to genuine joy and true contentment. That is not the way to live life to the full.

"My way" is nothing but the lie of our enemy. It was the decision in the garden Adam and Eve made to live independent of God. In choosing to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they declared their independence from God.

The sad story of history is that mankind has tried to make it on its own ever since. All you have to do is watch the evening news to see how that has worked out for us. Our independent, rebellious attitude toward God has made a mess of things.

Thankfully, Jesus showed us the way to truly live as humans. Every situation he faced, every miracle he performed and every truth he taught flowed from this attitude: "The Son can do nothing by himself." In the same way, apart from Jesus we "can do nothing" (John 15:5).

This dependent life is what Paul had in mind when he wrote, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). Jesus humbled himself and became obedient (Philippians 2:6-8). He entrusted himself to the one who judges justly (1 Peter 2:21-23). This was the example Jesus left us to follow. Jesus, the independent one, came to earth, and through his life, showed us how to live in dependence. 

We are to trust him, just as he trusted his Father. This is the way for the believer.