Do You Love Me?

John 21:15-17

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you truly 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 truly 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 a third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

This conversation occurred early one morning several days after Jesus walked out of His tomb alive. Early one morning after eating a breakfast of fish miraculously caught by the disciples. Perhaps Jesus asked Peter three times to remind Peter that He knew of the three times Peter had denied even knowing Jesus, in the courtyard of the High Priest, the night before Jesus was crucified.

Or perhaps Jesus just wanted this conversation, this question, to be imprinted indelibly in Peter's memory and ours. I'm sure the request to "feed my sheep" was a call to action for Peter and for us. "If you love me, feed my sheep." Peter sure did! He became a prominent preacher and leader in Jerusalem and Antioch after Christ's resurrection. He authored several of the Epistles/letters in the New Testament and helped to spread the Gospel – the Good News of Jesus – to the world beyond Judaism, to the Gentiles, to us!

And Jesus didn't just forgive Peter for denying him. Jesus restored him.

Jesus is always waiting to restore us too. When we are afraid or deeply suffering, Jesus is there with us, waiting to help. Like Peter, he also asks us to "feed His sheep," to LOVE our neighbors, and to forgive as much as we wish to be forgiven. We are asked to feed the hungry – those hungry for bodily food and those hungry for LOVE – God's LOVE.

Let's remind Him that we LOVE Him by helping with the feeding – offering our time, our resources, and our LOVE generously, sharing our food with the hungry in body and spirit.

Let's demonstrate to Jesus that we truly do LOVE Him and our neighbors. AMEN!

This devotional was written and read by Bernice Sanders

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