How to Please our Heavenly Father

This past weekend, my family and I had an opportunity to travel to San Antonio for a quick two-day get-away. We ate together, watched a Broadway musical, and laughed a lot! We had other extended family members and a very good friend with us, so the fun and excitement was maximized.

Friday night, we all ate at Pappasitos to celebrate Bethany's birthday. The food was great, and the conversation was almost continually amusing. As I sat and watched our four children and their cousins talk and laugh, I felt such a strong measure of peace and joy to know that they all love each other and enjoy each other. There have been times in our family (as in every family, I'm sure) when our children have been at odds with each other and have not enjoyed each other's company. That always breaks my heart more than they know. It doesn't happen very often, but even once is too often.

These are not my children. Just some people laughing.

As I observed them laughing and enjoying the evening together, I thought of how God must feel when his children love each other and get along well together. I imagine that our times of laughter together please Him, because like any father, he loves it when his children get along well.

By the same token, how God's heart must be broken when his children are divided and estranged from each other. He must hate to see them argue and pull away from each other.

Jesus taught us that the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. May we work hard to love each other and to enjoy each other. I believe this honors God and pleases Him to no end.

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