And all the moms and dads said “Amen!”

This morning one of my devotional readings centered on John 14:15 where Jesus lays out this bit of information in how to follow Him well…

If you love Me…you will keep My commands.

And as any parent knows…yep…that’s what it’s all about.

It isn’t ….

If you keep my commands, I will love you.

Not in healthy parenting.

Not in godly parenting.

Unless things are highly dysfunctional and out of whack in a home, parents love their children even when they don’t particularly like them at a given moment or season.

Even when they are not enjoying them and they joke about putting a “free to a good home” sign around their neck at the next soccer game, most parents would walk through fire for their child.

And we are imperfect and selfish and flawed and broken.

And yet we know that even on their worst days, our children simply cannot run past the tough borders of our love.

How much more God?

Who says…

I love you no matter what.

But if you LOVE ME…you WILL keep my commands.

Because if we truly know Him as He wants us to know Him…

if we really know His heart and His character and His ways.

We will keep them.

We will follow them.

We will walk out our days obeying what He says.

Wanting to do what is right, wanting to not do what is wrong.

Not to show our love…not to earn His love…but because we just will do it since we love Him and truly know His commandments are all good for all of us and for all people.