do you love me?
photo credit: Gianluca Carenza @photoemotions
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again, Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
(John 21: 15-25)
The scripture above took place when Jesus reconnected with His disciples, specifically Simon Peter, after Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. Before His own death, Jesus predicted Peter would publicly deny knowing Him three times. Peter did just that, thus compromising the relationship Peter had with Jesus.
In order to restore that relationship Jesus revealed himself to Peter and asked him three times, “do you love me” ? Jesus asked three times because Peter denied Him three times. He wasn’t asking because He didn’t know the answer. He wanted Peter to confront his sins. Ownership and repentance were necessary steps before Peter could be sent out to reach others (or tend His sheep) for the Lord.
photo credit: Alex Shute @faithgiant
Over the past two weekends we have been blessed to have had all four of our grand babes stay with us a night or two. Having those busy little ones around is a definite reminder of our age, but it is also so refreshing, and somehow breathes new life into our souls, that in a strange way, in the moment, makes us feel young again.
Being around so much energy, curiosity about seemingly everything, and seeing human nature through the innocence of children is truly enlightening. I find pure joy and fascination in simply observing them as they go about their business. Observing children, to me, is the closest thing to experiencing how Jesus feels as He watches us go about our lives.
Just as we watch with deep love and joy as children go about discovering life and the beauty in this world, Jesus lovingly observes the same with us. He also observes as we do, the pain and cost of poor decisions, and the loss of innocence as we become more and more of this world, and, as our hearts hurt for the children we love as their innocence is lost, He too grieves the loss of ours.
photo credit: Robert Collins @robbie36
Not too long ago my oldest son and I were having a conversation about his four-year-old and how he has all the sudden started telling little lies about random silly things, and being sneaky about things, as every child does at some point. We talked about that being an example of and the evidence of sin in our lives from birth. He and his wife did not teach that to their son, nor did they teach him defiance, and yet at some point all children end up there.
This past Thursday and Friday we had two of our three grandsons, and something happened that took me aback, even though my son had told me our grandson was doing “this.” When the little guy was being sneaky and doing something he knew he wasn’t supposed to be doing and I had to call him out on his behavior, that sweet little face with those blue eyes looked up at me over his little glasses and said, “Grandma do you still love me?”
photo credit: katerina Shakharova @minigirl
While I know this question is not abnormal, kids can go through this stage, it made me sad to think that little soul could think my love would just stop because I wasn’t happy with him, but then it also made me think about the effect of doing what we know we aren’t supposed to do, has on us. Immediately it causes a sense of shame, and we feel separated from deserving or having the love we have and count on from those who matter in our lives.
Isn’t this what we often do when we do something we know God doesn’t like? When we sin, we will often try to “hide” from God. We pull away from Him. Maybe we stop praying, or reading our Bibles, whatever that “guilt” behavior is, is the place we retreat to because suddenly we feel our worth is tied to what we do instead of what Jesus did.
When our grandson questioned my love for him because he knew he was doing something wrong, it immediately made me think of that very same parent/child, action/reward type of behavior we have with our heavenly Father. I often fool myself into believing that if I am “good” Jesus will love me, but when I’m “bad” or sinful He will stop loving me.
photo credit: Brendan Church @bdchu614
Satan uses this as a weapon to keep us from the grace and mercy that Jesus offers through His blood that was shed at the cross. The enemy wants us to believe that Jesus could not possibly love someone who messes up as much as we do. The enemy wants us to hide from and feel unworthy of the love of Christ, but the Bible tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 that God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
Billy Graham once said, “’God is love’ means that He tries constantly to block your route to destruction.”
Like a child might question our love when they know they are not behaving as they should, we too have an insecurity when it comes to God’s love because we cannot comprehend a love like His. The kind of love that only our Heavenly Father could have for us in all circumstances. It’s a love that still reaches out to us even when we ignore, reject, betray, or insult Him by the way we live. He still reaches out to us and wants us to come back to Him.
photo credit: Marc-Olivier Jodoin @marcojodoin
Like a child who suddenly questions our love when they know they are not behaving and they are punished for their choices, we too can believe that the consequences of our choices and behaviors indicate God is done with us, that He couldn’t possibly love us if we have to pay the consequences for our sins. We tend to think if we repent, a God that loves us would not allow us to suffer for our choices. The fact that God is love and that He will always love us does not mean that everything will be puppy dogs and roses.
As a loving parent or grandparent, if we love our children and grandchildren we will call them out and hold them accountable for their choices and actions, but still cover them with love. How much truer is this of a holy God? God’s holiness demands all sin be punished, but His love provides a plan for redemption and salvation for us.
Yes, sin is serious, and we must never take it lightly. But God loves us in spite of our sin—and the proof is Jesus Christ
Jesus didn’t come into the world just to lecture us or tell us to try harder. Jesus Christ came into the world to do for us what we could never do for ourselves: to forgive us and free us from sin’s penalty – which is death. The Bible says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). ~Billy Graham
Peter, do you love me? Peter denied Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. He had walked with Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and was with Him when He was arrested in the garden before His crucifixion, and yet he still fell short and was weak to fear and sinned. Jesus is letting Peter know that his failure has not disqualified him for his role as Christ’s trusted ally.
Grandma, do you still love me? Yes, my little man, your Papa and I will always love you no matter what. We might not always like your choices or the way you behave, like when you won’t share your toys with your little brother, or when you don’t listen to us, but nothing can stop us from loving you. Ever!
God, do you still love me? Can you still love me in spite of the mess I have made, and in spite of the dirt I bring with me?
“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
No matter what sin you have committed, no matter how black, dirty, shameful, or terrible it may be, God loves you. Yet this love of God that is immeasurable, unmistakable, and unending, this love of God that reaches to wherever a man is, can be entirely rejected. God will not force Himself upon anyone against his will. It is your part to believe. It is your part to receive. Nobody else can do it for you. (the cove blog, gods-endless-love)
My child, I loved you all the way to the cross.
There's a place
Where mercy reigns
And never dies
There's a place
Where streams of grace
Flow deep and wide
Where all the love
I've ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down
At the cross, at the cross
I surrender my life
I'm in awe of You
I'm in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
And my sin washed white
I owe all to You
I owe all to You Jesus
There's a place
Where sin and shame
Are powerless
Where my heart
Has peace with God
And forgiveness
Where all the love
I've ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down
