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Read JOHN 21:15-17
Peter knew that he had let Jesus down when he denied him three times prior to the Crucifixion. But Peter also knew that Jesus had forgiven him. Jesus tested Peter by asking him the searching question, “Do you love me?” three times.
In the original language of this text, Peter’s response to Jesus’ questions has great significance. When Jesus posed the questions, he had basically asked, “Peter, do you love me with a sacrificial, committed love?” But Peter responded with a different word for “love.” Peter essentially said, “Lord, I like you. I love you as a friend.”
At least Peter was honest. He told Jesus the truth about his commitment. Interestingly enough, Jesus still enlisted Peter in his service, to care for his sheep. Jesus just wanted Peter to affirm his devotion before giving him directions for ministry. As this story implies, we must love God before we can serve him faithfully. Do you love God?
Here are five ways to tell if you really love God and are growing in that love for him: If you love God,
1. You Will Long for Personal Communion with Him. Can you relate to the words of the psalmist, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, o God” (Psalm 42:1)? When you really love God, you will delight in praising and worshiping him because your heart will overflow with love for God. And this love will cause you to look forward to spending time with him and his people.
2. You Will Love the Things He Loves. We know what God loves by what he has declared in his Word, the Bible. So if you love God, you will love his Word. Bible study will not be a drudg-ery, but a delight.
3. You Will Hate What He Hates. As the Lord’s nature becomes your nature, his likes and dislikes become your likes and dislikes. His outlook becomes your outlook. We know from his Word that he hates sin. If we love him, then we should also hate sin.
4. You Will Long for His Return. Jesus described himself as a bridegroom (Mark 2:19). His bride is the church–the body of believers (Ephesians 5:23-29). When Jesus returns, he will be united with his bride. Therefore, if you love the Lord, you will long for his return as a bride longs for her bridegroom.
5. You Will Keep His Commandments. Jesus says, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15). Though it is impossible for any of us who loves God to go on an endless course of sin, we will still occasionally fall into individual sins. But if we love God, we will repent of those sins and seek his forgiveness, and our lifestyle will conform to the truths we find in his Word.
Do you love the Lord? Like Peter, you may be tempted to believe that you have no love for jesus when you sin. Maybe you feel that God could never use you in his service again. Be honest with God; then start rebuilding that relationship. As you reaffirm your love for him, God will open up opportunities for you to serve him and share that love with others. A committed heart leads to committed service.
Stanley, Charles F. The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible. Thomas Nelson, 2007.
