by, Maria Hartman

I am Italian and I must confess, I love to eat. I do realize that being Italian is not the cause for my love of food, but it sure has contributed to it!! I remember saying to my mom once that I was sure she put pasta in the blender and mixed it in with my milk when I was a baby!

Over the years I have gained some weight and have just not been able to get it off. I haven't tried to gain the weight, but it has come nonetheless. And although I have tried to lose weight, I haven't. I've fluctuated within a few pounds of the same weight for at least 5 years now. My downfall occurs every evening after dinner as I snack too much or on things I shouldn't.

Just a few weeks ago, I went for over 41 hours without eating. Yes I am serious. I had a test done that required a liquid diet the entire day before. My procedure wasn't until 1:30 so by the time I got out of recovery and out of the hospital, it was after 3:00. ( Yes, I did learn that I can say NO to food, even in the evenings!)

I went through this test because I had to. Did I want to? No, I didn't. But there were reasons that this test was necessary and I understood the significance of the doctor's concerns, as well as the issues I had been dealing with for almost 2 months. So, I attached a want to, and was able to do what I'd normally say I couldn't do.

Now if a doctor I didn't know told me I could not eat for 41+ hours because of some isue which did not apply to me, I'd NEVER do it. I wouldn't even do it for half that amount of time!! What is the difference? Well, first of all, I didn't know the doctor, nor did I believe I had a need for the 'have to' given to me. Therefore, there would be absolutely no 'want to' on my part.

As God so often does, He taught me an important lesson through this trial. The same is true with my spiritual walk with Him. He knows me and my needs. He has told me specifically what it is that I need. I know Him, and that His reputation and authority surpasses that of any earthly man or woman. My need has been explained and there is a have to applied to the privilege of being His child. But I must also have the desire to follow the have to; the want to is what motivates me. This is the definition of obedience.

What DOES it take to obey God? Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And though shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

There it is. Can we obey out of wanting to alone? Can we obey out of having to alone? No. You and I will serve the Living God with a strong overlap of the two. I believe we must obey with a right heart because we love God. But it is vital that we understand who He is, and that we are the clay; He is the Potter. We are the child, He is the Father. We are the sheep, He is the Shepherd. We were helplessly lost in sin, He paid the ransom at the cost of His only Son.

I am His now, so I have to. He knows me, has saved me, and loves me with an indescribable love, so now, I want to.

For today: Although we may not understand all the 'whys' of His ways, we can know Him and trust His clear directions for what is non-negotiable and required (our 'have to').............But unless out of love and thanksgiving we attach a fervent 'want to' to what He calls us to, our obedience will falter and may become subject to change.

I thank God for the good report on my test, but most especially for His ability to teach me by His Spirit things that I'd never know otherwise.

I pray that you too will consider this for your own life. Do you understand that you have to do what God says, 100% His Way? Do you have a love and devotion for your Savior that gives you the want to? Lets encourage one another with these 2 simple words which give feet to our faith.

Yes, I know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28. Yes, that even includes not eating for almost 2 days!