Do You Love Me?

Read

John 21:15 "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’”

Think

Failure has a way of sticking to you. It whispers in your mind, reminding you of the moments you wish you could erase. Maybe you lost your temper, stayed silent when you should have spoken up, or walked away when you should have stayed. Peter knew that feeling, too. He had promised unwavering loyalty to Jesus, only to crumble under pressure, denying him not once, not twice, but three times.

Then, after the resurrection, Jesus stood before him on the shores of Galilee. The fire crackled—the same kind of fire Peter had warmed himself by when he denied his Lord. And then came the question: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15).

Jesus asked three times, mirroring Peter’s threefold failure. Each time, Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” But Jesus wasn’t just asking for words. He was drawing Peter into a deeper truth—love isn’t proven in grand declarations, but in faithfulness, in action, in devotion.

Charles Studd said, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.” True love isn’t just sentiment—it’s surrender. Jesus responded to Peter’s declarations of love with a command: “Feed my sheep.” Love for Christ always moves us to care for what he cares about—his people, his mission, his kingdom.

Maybe you’ve failed, too. Maybe you've denied him—not with words, but with silence, compromise, or fear. But Jesus doesn’t cancel failures—he redeems them. And today, he stands before you asking, “Do you love me?” Not just in words, but in how you live. How you trust. How you serve.

Apply

Obey his call. Jesus told Peter, “Feed my sheep.” Love for Christ is shown in how we care for others. Find one way to serve someone today—encourage a friend, join a serve team, or share the gospel.

Pray

Heavenly Father, let my love for you be more than words—make it the pursuit of my life. Refine my heart, strengthen my faith, and lead me to trust you in full surrender. May my actions reflect the depth of my love as I follow wherever you call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.