Independent Initiative

While there are five instances in Scripture where “initiative” is used of Jesus, each indicating He did nothing of His own initiative… …There are actually six occurrences of the word “initiative.” Like the first five, the sixth also references Jesus’ initiative.

But after close examination, and after reading Jesus’ statements about being unable to do anything on His own initiative, I discovered in John 10:18 that He did do one thing of His own initiative.

Speaking of His life, Jesus said, “I lay it down on my own initiative.”

Jesus did commit one independent act. He laid down His own life. He goes on to say that He had authority to lay it down.

And you know what? I think our Father is waiting for us to execute this one act of independence as well. He does not intend to assume the initiative for taking our lives, but leaves that decision in our court.

So, following the example of our Older Brother, I think it is appropriate that we determine to lay our lives down—of our own initiative—offering them to our Father to do with them as He pleases.

And then, having laid our lives down, to make a commitment to live dependent lives, looking to Him, the author and finisher of our faith, as our resource in life.