26. Love feeds….

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes Lord, you know that I love you”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs”.

John 21:15-18

We all know the story. Jesus has appeared in the beach after his resurrection and cooked breakfast for his disciples after their bumper catch. He takes Peter aside and asks him three times if he loves him and then each time responds: Feed my lambs; Take care of my sheep; Feed my sheep.

Peter denied Jesus three times in the high priest’s courtyard (John 18) and now with these three simple questions he is restored and commissioned.

In the courtyard, he was afraid, he was human. What would happen to him if he threw his lot in with Jesus? We are all afraid, concerned for our mortality, afraid of what others will think and do. So, we live lesser lives, lives of compromise, lives of denial.

But Jesus restored Peter. He gave Peter the opportunity to reaffirm his love for Jesus. He gives us the same opportunity every day:

Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Each day is a new day with Jesus, one in which we can recommit ourselves to him, reaffirm our love.

And then Jesus commissions Peter – feed my lambs. When we come to Jesus, when we allow his love to restore us, then he asks us the question back – Do you love me as much as these? When we affirm our love, he takes our lives, turns them around as he commissions us to his great work on earth.

What does it mean for us to feed Jesus’ lambs? For each of us it will be something different. It may be Jesus has gifted us as evangelists, or teachers, or pastors, or administrators, or carers, or something else. As we walk daily with God, he shows us the work he has that is unique for each of us, part of his great work on earth. We are commissioned to this work of feeding, caring for others.

Prayer: I pray that as you ask us the same question you asked of Peter: Do you love me more than these? That our response will be: Lord, you know that I love you. Help us to understand what feed my lambs, care for my sheep, means and what it is you have for us to complete as part of your great work.

Amen

Action: Today reaffirm the love you have for Jesus. Spend time with him, wait on his word for you and then go in his name and feed his lambs, care for his sheep.

Journal your thoughts…