This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

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. (John 21:17)

The hurt here described the questioning from Jesus to our souls, do we really love him? This isn’t a physical pain, but a soul searching suffering. It’s a deeper hurt that questions our desire for Jesus.

The devil can’t inflict this kind of soul pain because he cannot read our thoughts or know the deeper things.

Sin can’t cause this kind of hurt and human emotions can’t even touch it. The brokenness from a heartbreak in an earthly relationship has nothing on the piercing of Jesus’ question to our soul, ‘do you love me?’

I picture myself standing there, here, and Jesus is saying, ‘do you love me?’

The immediate response from my lips is, ‘yes!’

And then he asks me again, ‘do you love me?’

And now I start to look back over my day to find the proof that when I said ‘yes’ the first time, it wasn’t just a reflexive word; I’m looking for evidence.

I examine the motives behind my work because wisdom tells me He doesn’t just want a list of deeds. ‘Lord, you know that I love you. I rise early with the DESIRE to be alone with you, not just out of a habit or duty.’

But then he asks me a third time, ‘do you love me?’

And at this juncture, I don’t think I’m standing face to face with Him anymore. I can feel the painful questioning sink my body like an anchor. My knees hit the floor, it hurts too much to respond because I think that I do and yet I know that I don’t, fully.

Between the tears, I still say ‘yes’.

Do you love me? This was Jesus’ question to Peter, yet He asks us the same thing. Is there a conviction of love in your soul that propels your hands and feet and compels your entire being to reflect love?

It’s easy to confess with our mouths the revelations we have had or testify how much we love God, but he’s asking to ‘pour yourself out’ to the sheep who can’t take care of themselves, the ones who get pushy and on your nerves, those that look filthy and it’s hard to touch, and every single one that has gone astray.

Human emotion will get you into trouble here. God’s love does not operate out of your understanding.

Lock eyes and love lavishly to every last one.

It’s impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust your love if it flows from the Spirit of God within you.