Do you have habits that might be a little odd? Well, maybe not odd to you, but odd to others? 

I know I do, and my wife thinks it is so weird. I will pour a glass of tea, milk, water, or whatever it might be, and I willdrink almost all of it. I will leave a small amount of liquid in the bottom of the glass. I cannot make myself drink the verylast sip of whatever it is in the glass. In my mind, by the time I get to the end of what is in the cup, it has some amebias or trash in it. I know what you are thinking… “Matthew, you are crazy.” I know it is odd, but if I had to guess, you also have something a little odd about you. 

God’s love for you and me is unique; it’s not just love, it’s an obsession. And this is not a negative trait, it’s a beautiful aspect of our God. Every moment in Heaven, God’s thoughts are filled with you. He is constantly shaping us, working out situations, and molding us into the person we were always meant to be. Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31, NKJV). While God takes care of all of His creation, Jesus points out that you and I are far more valuable than anything else on the planet. He is obsessive to the point of even knowing how many hairs are on the top of our heads. Listen, I am crazy about my kids. I love them more than life itself. I would give my life to protect my children, but I have never counted the hairs on their heads. The love and care that God has for each of us are beyond comprehension. 

Part of the obsession God has with you and me includes Him having a plan for our lives. God, in His deep and abundant wisdom, has carved out a path, a plan, for us to walk and accomplish while here on this earth. David wrote, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Ps. 37:23, NKJV). How amazing is it that the Lord is not only obsessed with us to know the hairs on our heads but is so involved in our lives that He has prepared a path, a road, a way, for us to walk? Because of the “ordered steps” God has for us, we can rest in these truths.

1) God already knows the best direction for my life. 

How wonderful it is to know that God does not save us from our sins and then say, “Good job, now go figure the rest of your life out.” No beloved, God has not only provided a way of salvation through the sacrifice of His Son, but He has also laid out every step that we should take that will be the most pleasing to Him and bring the most blessing in our life.

Therefore, God knows if you should take that new job, marry the girl, buy the home, move across the country, or whatever crossroad you may be at today. He has already laid out the best plan and direction for your life. So, how can we know the direction? It’s simple: ask Him. God said, “Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (Jer. 33:3, NKJV). In other words, God has promised us that He has the answers that weneed about our lives, and all we have to do to obtain the answer is ask. Let me encourage you today to call on God and ask Him for directions. Ask God to show/tell you the steps that you need to take, and He has promised to reveal the steps for your life.

2) God has more than one “step” for your life.

I love how David wrote under the guide of the Lord that “the steps of a good man…” The word “step” is plural. From theoriginal Hebrew, it can be translated this way: “The goings of a good man…” Again, the path that David is writing about is not singular but refuses to multiple “goings” or “steps.” This fact should bring a great deal of relief to you and me. There has only ever been one perfect person who never sinned and who followed the path of God without deviating, and that is Jesus Christ. You and I, unfortunately, have said no to God; we have disobeyed, signed, and fallen short of the mark over and over. Thankfully, even though we have tried to walk down our own path, God does not say, “Since you messed up the original path I laid out for you, there are no other options or paths for you to go.” Praise the Lord for his abundant grace and mercy that provides us more than one step or “goings.” 

The Bible says, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 Jn. 2:1, NKJV). God does not wash His hands of us when we fail and try to go our own way. When we come back to Him and sincerely ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives us but also puts us back on the path He planned for us. David knew this fact about God well. Over and over, David failed to walk the path God had for him. But when David repented, He found that God was waiting for him. 

Perhaps you are reading this and have wondered if you could ever return to the ministry that you once walked in. Maybe because of some moral failure or just simple disobedience, you walked away and tried to forge your own path. I want to encourage you that God still desires to use you, and He desires for you to get back on the path and walk out the “steps” He designed for your life. 

Our Father is obsessed with you. Be encouraged today that God is so in love with you. He has a wonderful and beautiful plan for your life, and you can know what the next step is when you ask the Father.