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Acts 17 says, “God’s not served by men’s hands if He needed anything” (Acts 17:25). So the great truth is that God doesn’t actually need you, which means your loveliness to God doesn’t rise and fall with your usefulness. Can you be of more or less use to God? Sure. Can He use anybody? Absolutely. Does He need to use anybody? Absolutely not. And if God doesn’t need us, then He’s free to want us, and I think that’s true of our relationships with one another. We need each other, we’re built for community, but I don’t need [others] to fill my deepest longings. That’s when I’m able to want [others] as a true friend.
CCM: Mike, you have said, “My treasure is my life. As soon as you let go of your life as the treasure, then suddenly you find freedom. I don’t have to be afraid because fear is the belief that God is not going to get it right.” Culturally, we have this need to control. But what has the reality of surrender looked like in your life?
MD: Christ says, “I’m going to give you joy,” but we control and compare our way out of joy. God’s says, “I want to give you rest and joy and peace,” yet we open up our Instagram and think, Oh, my life isn’t as good as this person’s life. Or, Oh, I don’t have it together like this person. Or, Why don’t we have more sales like that person? We compare ourselves out of joy. But then I think, God, I don’t need to be considered a leader; I just need to follow you into joy and into peace and into love. Then life doesn’t have to go a certain way because you already have the things that you need.
CCM: It sounds like you are talking about control. And control is a derivative of fear. Right now, Americans are obsessed with who our leader in the free world will be. For those of us who are disciples of Christ, if we aren’t cautious, we begin to trump spiritual kingdom with American kingdom out of fear. What are you discovering is your role as a follower in this seemingly fearful season as Americans?
MD: It’s funny how bent out of shape people get over politics. People say, “It’s our Christian duty to vote.” I would say before it’s your Christian duty to vote, your Christian duty is to not live a life of fear. The most repeated command in the Bible is, “Do not be afraid.” If that’s the most repeated command, then it is of utmost importance to God because it shows who He is— that you can trust Him in the turmoil of a political climate.
The Pharisees tried to get Jesus into [politics], too. They asked, “Who do you pay taxes to?” And Jesus said, “Render to Caesar what’s Caesar’s.” In doing so, you pay your taxes and you go vote, but you don’t rest your hope in [government]. I don’t rest my hope in democracy. To borrow from Derek Webb, “My hope is in a king and kingdom, not a man, a country, or a flag.”
JJ: Who has your trust? Are you trusting in a government that’s made up of humans? I know the deepest secrets of my heart. As much as I try to follow and model my life after Christ, I still find those times in my life where I’m just a fallen man and I need a Savior.
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These guys are the REAL deal. Love God, their families, and their fans. Always encouraging with their lyrics, and willing to talk about topics most sweep under the rug. I have been one of their fans since “The Light Meets The Dark” and they just keep getting better and better. Great article about God loving guys who walk out their faith through their music, and give glory to God in everything.