Dependence on God

"God will often give you more than you can handle so you can learn to depend on him rather than on yourself." Craig Groeschel in Weird.

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

Biblical Sources of Phrases in Common Use: God helps Those Who Help Themselves

"God Helps Those Who Help Themselves" does not occur in the Bible at all.   It was written by Algernon Sydney (1622-1683) and repeated by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) in Poor Richard's Almanac (1757)

Rising Waters

“There is a story of a man trapped in his home by floods. As the waters reached his front door he prayed, ‘Lord God, please rescue me.’ Ten minutes later a boat came by offering to take the man to safety. ‘No,’ said the man, ‘God will save me.’ The floods rose and the man, now trapped upstairs again prayed, ‘Lord God, please help me.’ Five minutes later another boat came, but again the man declined its help. 'God will save me,’ he said, and the boat went away. At last the flood was so high that the man had retreated to the roof where he prayed, ‘God, please help me.’ Almost at once there was a roaring sound and a helicopter arrived. ‘I don’t need your help,’ said the man, ‘God will rescue me.’ The man drowned. In heaven he complained that even though he had prayed he had not been saved. ‘Yes,’ said God, ‘that puzzled me too - I sent two boats and a helicopter yet still you drowned.’”

From the Church of St. John the Evangelist, Edinburgh. Quoted with permission. 2010

Etymology

To help them to continually improve their writing so they can choose just the word they want for a particular situation, many writers study etymology. The study of word origins adds richness and depth to their use of words. Many writers know exactly the effect a particular word will have upon their readers and, they know why. Words carry a lot of "baggage;" underlying meanings which make sense when they are explained but which resonate below the level of conscious thought.

The word "etymology" is derived from "etymon" (ετυμον: Greek for "true meaning"), plus "logos" (λογοσ: Greek for "word" or "study.") A word's history is traced by studying the history of its usage, the meanings of the root words from which it is constructed, and its changing meanings and usages over the years.

An example is the derivation of the word "depend," "De" (Latin for "down") and "pendere" (Latin for "to hang"). The word "pendere" was also involved in the development of the English words "pendulum" and "pendulous." So, to depend on someone is to "hang down" from them. Without the one doing the supporting, the "depender" will fall.

The believer is in a state of dependence upon the grace of God for his/her salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:17.

Female Images of God: A Mother With a Weaned Child

"Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul [is] even as a weaned child." Psalms 131:2

Believers are wholly dependent on God, just as infants must rely on their mothers for everything.