God establishes our steps

Romans 15:22-24 For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain-for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while- We make our plans, but God establishes our steps as Prov. 16:9 says. James wrote in 4:15, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” In these verses, the Romans learned why Paul hadn’t already been to Rome and why he hoped to visit them soon. Having fulfilled his ministry in the east, he had set his sights on the west. He hoped to go to Spain which in their time was the furthest western region of the world. Although there is no biblical evidence that Paul did make it to Spain, there are several dependable sources which indicate that he did. The encouragement for us to live to love with Jesus from this verse is to trust in God to establish our steps. If Paul indeed went to Spain via Rome, he did so because God had people He loved in Spain and locations between. He chose Paul to be the vessel of His love. This is also true for all believers. There are people He loves whom He will put in our paths as He directs our steps to them. Our part is to abide in Christ and be aware of everyone we meet. I was walking in our neighborhood one day when Carl, an elderly man stepped right in my path as he went to his mailbox. It couldn’t have been more clear to me that God literally put Carl in my path at just that moment. I would have had to walk around him to miss him. We greeted one another, introduced ourselves, and I took the opportunity to tell Carl that I had prayed for him that morning, but didn’t know it was going to be him. I shared the Live to Love prayer with him then encouraged him that God knows him and loves him. I asked if he knew Jesus, and he said he did. We prayed together and I finished my walk. God was establishing both our steps to intersect so Carl might be encouraged that God was thinking of and loved him. So be encouraged today to be on the lookout for who Jesus wants to love through you. They might actually, literally be in your path. That’s no coincidence. God is at work as you live to love with Jesus.