Feed My Sheep

By David Roper for 'Our Daily Bread'

It is love for Christ that will enable us to love His children.

"Do you love me?...
Feed My sheep.
-John 21:17

Read:
John 21:15-17

Just before Jesus left this earth, He instructed Simon Peter to care for the dearest object of His love - His sheep. How could anyone care for them as Jesus cares? Only out of love for Him. There is no other way.

Three times Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love Me?" Peter answered, "Yes Lord; You know that I love you." Each time, Jesus answered, "Feed My sheep."

Was Jesus unaware of Peter's love? Of course not. His threefold question was not for Himself, but for Peter. He asked His questions to underscore the essential truth that only love for Christ would sustain Peter in the work that lay ahead - that arduous, demanding work of caring for people's souls - perhaps the hardest work of all.

Jesus did not ask Peter if he loved His sheep, but if he loved Him. Affection for God's people in itself will not sustain us. His sheep can be unresponsive, unappreciative, and harshly critical of our efforts to love and to serve them. In the end, we will find ourselves defeated and discouraged.

The "love of Christ" - our love for Him - is the only sufficient motivation that will enable us to stay the course, to continue to feed the flock of God. Thus Jesus asks you and me, "Do you love Me? Feed My sheep." - David Roper

More about jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show,
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me. - Hewitt


I would like to add that Love for Jesus, for God, originates with God. If we do not love His sheep, we do not know what loving Him means, we may think and say we do, but our fruit will testify otherwise. All of us need a REVELATION of His love for us personally, before we can love Him, let alone His sheep. In all humility we need to keep asking Him for a deeper revelation of His love for us personally (He will answer!), so we can reflect it back to Him and to our fellow sheep. All true life and lasting fruit flows from a personal and intimate love relationship with God. Out of that foundation we can move in our particular gifts and calling with joy and not get tired of doing good. Out of that foundation comes revelation and vision for that which God is building and how we are to be a part of it. What is God building? His Church; the Bride of Christ.

Magda