Scriptural Foundation:
John 21:15-17 New Living Translation (NLT)
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
Reflection:
One day the Holy Spirit asked me, “If all your needs were met by this world would you ever turn to Me?’ Now my heart wanted to yes, but my soul and flesh knew the answer was no. When I was growing up, my parents provided all that I needed in life and I got most of what I wanted too. I went to church, because that is what one is supposed to do. That mechanical relationship with the Lord, served me well when I was under my parents’ care, it was when I started making decisions for myself that I found out that I wasn’t equipped for this life. Now I didn’t go through anything horrific as a child or teenager, we just moved around a lot due to my father’s job transfers. If anything, it helped me to be social, because I was always meeting new people. Suddenly, it was a struggle satisfying my needs and more often than not I would just forget about what I wanted in life. It got to a point that I lost my joy…..I have always been a pretty up beat person, but the heart satisfying joy of feeling secure was gone.
So, when the Holy Spirit asked that question, it immediately made me think about the Lord’s interaction with Peter. Jesus asked Peter three times if he love Him. Peter had the audacity to be hurt that the Lord kept asking the same question. However only a few days earlier Peter with all his needs met by Jesus’ ministry at the time denied that he even knew his Savior. It is not until we are empty of ourselves that the Lord can truly trust us to love Him. Not to say material things are bad, however the importance that is placed on possessions and comforts over your relationship with the Lord will leave you spiritually bankrupt. If you are bankrupt in the spirit, you will soon be bankrupted in the natural. A person can be surrounded by the finest things in life and still be unsatisfied. Why is that? The Lord made us to be vessels to pour out love on and feed the lost ship of this world. Don’t settle for being unsatisfied.
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
- List the areas in your life that are satisfying and then the areas that are unsatisfied.
- Then list out your needs and wants under the categories of satisfied or unsatisfied.
- Present your list to the Lord. Meditate on why you classify things a certain way and ask the Holy Spirit for clarity as to the areas where you are denying God’s love for you.
- Equip with this new found knowledge, endeavor to change for the better.