Have to?

Hey everybody! We hope this letter finds you prospering in your soul and in health. It has been extremely hot here in Ho Chi Minh City, but the rainy season is on its way. I feel like Elijah in I Kings 18:41...I hear the sound of abundance of rain! The rain is coming and with it is coming many good things from Jesus!

I want to ask you something. Are you tired of the "have-tos"? You know, the things we must do. Sure, there are the "have-tos" of life: pay the bills, go to work, get a job, pay taxes, stop over-eating, drive within the speed limit, and so on. I'm not talking about those--they are necessary. Are there any other "have-tos" in your life that are not necessary--the things you say that you have to do, but actually they are illegitimate "have-tos"? What fears and hurts do we have that could be driving those "have-tos"? Are there any religious duties we attach ourselves to (i.e. the things that we say "God wants us to do," but really He has no part in)? How about the have-tos of "doing church" or loving your neighbor, or even tithing. Do we do them because they are a "religious duty type of have-to" or because we love the One who created us and out of that love relationship with Him, His desires are worked out within us.

For example, if all I (Chad) did for my wife was work, work, work (clean the house, wash the dishes, go to work, make money for the family, take out the trash, etc...) she would be happy, but not fulfilled in our relationship. If later she were to sit down with me in order to talk with me and share her life, her heart, and feelings, but I just gave her money and got up to clean the house again, she would be left feeling hurt, abandoned, and sad, right? Well, I think that situation is similar with Jesus.

Too many times we humans DO what we THINK God wants us to DO rather than BE in relationship with Him. When we do this, we have limited our relationship with Him much like my example of just giving money to my wife and cleaning the house in hopes she'll be happy.

Life with Jesus is so much more simple than we make it. Because of His forgiveness, by His grace we can bask/luxuriate ourselves in His love! Jesus didn't die so that He could give me a list of the things I must do so He won't become upset. He gave up His life to live mine with me and show me the way so we could be in constant fellowship together.

Ok, ok, please don't send me any nasty letters and if you have some "religious have-tos" that you enjoy, keep them to yourself. Jesus is our life and there is no weapon formed against our relationship with Him that will prosper.