Rich Maffeo on Nostr: First, Peter felt miserable about his three-times denial of his best friend and Lord. ...
First, Peter felt miserable about his three-times denial of his best friend and Lord. But then I noticed how the Savior tried to help Peter move beyond his self-recrimination. When Peter wouldn't say, when he couldn’t say with honesty that he passionately, fully, completely loved Jesus, the Lord came down to his level: “Okay, my friend. Then, do you have affection for me?”
And second – and this is equally important – after each agape/phileo exchange, the Lord’s charge to Peter was the same: “Take care of My sheep.” In other words, “Peter, I know you feel guilty, but your repentance restored our relationship. Your sorrow and guilt are totally unnecessary. Don’t let your sorrow and guilt keep you from your task to tend My flock."
How like the merciful Christ to call each of us out of our sorrow and self-recrimination AND our inability to fully love Him as we want to love Him. Jesus knows our hearts. He knows our weaknesses of the flesh. But He seems, from this example, to be content for the moment with our ‘phileo’ affection. He knows that if we give Him THAT, then a maturing agape love will always follow.
Do not be discouraged by your failures to live up to what you want to do for Christ. He knows very well, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” You will remember that is what He said to His sleeping disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:38)
He loves you. He loves me. That’s all we need to know when we get to thinking badly about ourselves.
Will you give Him your ‘phileo’ affection? The agape will follow.
(continued in' 'reply')
And second – and this is equally important – after each agape/phileo exchange, the Lord’s charge to Peter was the same: “Take care of My sheep.” In other words, “Peter, I know you feel guilty, but your repentance restored our relationship. Your sorrow and guilt are totally unnecessary. Don’t let your sorrow and guilt keep you from your task to tend My flock."
How like the merciful Christ to call each of us out of our sorrow and self-recrimination AND our inability to fully love Him as we want to love Him. Jesus knows our hearts. He knows our weaknesses of the flesh. But He seems, from this example, to be content for the moment with our ‘phileo’ affection. He knows that if we give Him THAT, then a maturing agape love will always follow.
Do not be discouraged by your failures to live up to what you want to do for Christ. He knows very well, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” You will remember that is what He said to His sleeping disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:38)
He loves you. He loves me. That’s all we need to know when we get to thinking badly about ourselves.
Will you give Him your ‘phileo’ affection? The agape will follow.
(continued in' 'reply')