No matter how you slice it, love and obedience go hand-in-hand. That's true wherever you go. Take my kids for instance. I have been blessed to have four beautiful kids now--two of my own and two through the blessing of my new wife in July. Four amazing kids, one amazing problem. Inside each of them are the same selfish desires that have existed in mankind since the day Eve prompted Adam and they indulged. What does this mean? Every single day for each of them (and for me and you) is a battle to die to self. That in itself is a problem but there is more.

We all want to love and to be loved. Hey, it's what the world needs, right? So, you and I spend our entire lives looking to be in loving relationships with parents, siblings, friends, spouses and children. You and I both know that love is more than words. How many times over the course of my life have I heard someone say "I love you" only to find out that they were a friend of convenience?

Jesus says that won't do. In John 14:15, He burns away all the excessive talk about love and boils it down to this reality--without obedience there is no love. Don't believe me? Here it is for you to read, "If you love me, you will obey what I command."

For some of us, a light bulb just went on. Love and obedience; obedience and love. They go hand in hand to the point that you and I cannot tell God we love Him until we are willing to show Him. That means a radical change in behavior, a major shift in perspective, and a call for re-evaluation ever time we prepare to utter those words "I love you." The options are not many--love me and obey or just don't tell me you love me.

Hope you find yourself obeying Him through each step today and more in love with Him today than ever before.