"You know what you have to do..."

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
~ 1 John 4:8

Have you ever had something that you just avoided doing because you didn't want to do it, but knew that it had to be done?  We've all been there.  As a kid, "take out the trash," turns into the adult, "you need to pay for trash pick up!"

I have realized that for some, having a relationship with God has turned into something that is like a "have to," rather than, "want to."  

Faithfulness is the most important "have to," that we can encounter in our life.  Taking the steps to faithfulness in our thinking, speaking and acting can make the long trip with little steps.  With God, God's voice seems to get louder and we end up where we belong.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not always easy.  

Somehow we need to discover and trust that all the steps we need to take are close at hand.  Again I am reminded that the steps that God directs will never lead us to a place where God will not sustain us!

Taking the first step to listen, and the second step away from "self," we then slowly move away from a faithfulness that seems to be more "have to" to "want to."

This morning I am reminded that each step should be one of love to the One who is Love.  When we examine the road before us, it is always easier to head towards something that we love.  

I am reminded how much I loved walking into my great-grandmother's back porch, being embraced by her arms, smelling what she had cooking, and being told, "How wonderful it is to see you!"  Those moments made me quickly forget the hours that it took for me to drive to her home.

Living in the love of God is always worth all the "have to's" and "want to's" when it comes to the moment our faith is realized.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2019