If You Love Me, Then You Will Obey Me.

 

    I sucked in my breathe as my own words convicted my heart. My son had been disobedient all day, as we were coming home for naptime, my son sang out, "I love you Mommy," as he raced downstairs instead of to his bed. Without thinking, I shot back, "If you love me, then you would obey me." Jesus was quoted in John 14:15 speaking to his disciples, "If you love me, you will obey my command." He then goes on say in John, verses 23-24, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with Him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." 

     If we love him, we will obey him, if we don't obey, we don't love. As painful as that is it hear, I question my own disobedience. I love God with all my heart, and yet my fallen nature shows me how weak I am. I struggle with obeying, and yet I get upset with my children when they choose to partially obey, or not obey at all. 

     There are so many reasons I choose not to obey, it's inconvenient, stretches me, or my flesh is stronger than my walk. The truth of the matter is God is asking us to obey because He wants and has the best for us. It's the same for our babies, we want the best for them. The stark reality is when we are parenting our children to obey, God is teaching us the importance of our obedience to Him.