March 1, 2004

[Kidan]

Quote[/b] ]Do you love Me?
—John 21:17

Quote[/b] ]Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" ( Matthew 26:35 ; also see Matthew 26:33-34 ). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. Yet that is nothing but emotional love. It may reach deeply into our natural self, but it never penetrates to the spirit of a person. True love never simply declares itself. Jesus said, "Whoever confesses Me before men [that is, confesses his love by everything he does, not merely by his words], him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God" ( Luke 12:8 ).

Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more than sin ever could, because sin dulls our senses. But this question of the Lord intensifies our sensitivities to the point that this hurt produced by Jesus is the most exquisite pain conceivable. It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on the deeper spiritual level. "For the Word of God is living and powerful . . . , piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . ."—to the point that no deception can remain ( Hebrews 4:12). When the Lord asks us this question, it is impossible to think and respond properly, because when the Lord speaks directly to us, the pain is too intense. It causes such a tremendous hurt that any part of our life which may be out of line with His will can feel the pain. There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth to us.

 

[Kidan]

I know this particular devotion book was written awhile ago, but sometimes I have to wonder if there's something lost in the translation so to speak.

I don't associate God's Word with Pain.  I can understand how it hurt Peter for Christ to ask him, 'Do you love Me?' three times after Peter's denials, but I still don't associate God's Word with pain.  I have suffered and wrestled with things I've found in God's Word that relate to my life, but I still don't associate God's Word with pain.

To me, God's Word has always been an uplifting story.  A past and future history that tells of God's unending love for us. How can such a thing be associated with pain?  It's actually simple.  Love hurts.  True love, being an action, has consequences and reactions.  You can feel pain, from the act of loving someone.  Whether it's from their actions, or if it's from something that you must give up, to see that person happy.  Love hurts.  

And probably the greatest hurt love can inflict, is when the one we love, HAS to ask if we love them, because our actions do not show it.  When what we do, makes that person question whether or truly love them or not, that is when Love hurts the most.

So today, are your actions, showing love for Christ?  Or is Christ asking 'Do you love Me?'