So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” (John 21:15)
Jesus asks Simon Peter the heartfelt question if he truly loves Him. Jesus wants His disciples to know that in order to follow Him, they must forsake all and take up their cross and follow in His steps (Luke 9:23). But in a broader sense, He is asking Peter and all of us: Do we love the Lord more than all our belongings, our family, our jobs, our homes, our country, and our very lives. Do we? Peter’s answer was, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
Dear reader, have you come to know Jesus as your personal Savior? Jesus will ask each one of us personally, “Do you love Me?” When He calls you, do you see the nail marks in His hands and feet? Do you see how He loved you first and poured out His life on the cross to save you? We must come to God in faith and repent of our sins in order to be saved. Our faith must touch Jesus, whose blood alone can wash away all our sins and set us free to serve Him. Such faith is filled and driven by a vibrant love.
I remember my early years as a Christian, how the joy and peace of my newfound Savior filled my heart! Soon after being born again by the Spirit, the Lord gave me a wonderful wife, Doris, who also was filled with a fervent love to the Lord. Out of our love to Jesus, we both wished to serve Him in a greater capacity. Two months after our wedding, our local pastor in Edmonton, Brother Berndt, came to pay us a visit. During his visit, he mentioned there was an opportunity for a couple to serve in our Church of God school mission in Neustädt, Mexico. By the time he left, it became clear to all of us that we should fill this calling and serve there for one school year. Joyfully, we thanked the Lord for His leading in prayer.
In the early spring of 1979, Brother H.D. Nimz, the pastor in Mexico, contacted us, and we expressed our desire to come. He was very supportive and would pray for all to go well. However, in the following weeks, one roadblock after another presented itself. My father was completely against our plans, noting that I would likely lose my new job at the bank, and since we were renting a home from him, he would have to find new tenants while we were gone. Was it really worth our leaving for one school year to serve in Mexico and cause so much grief? Yet Jesus had called us to follow Him.
The weeks passed, and it seemed we simply could not go. We kept struggling with the thought that we must honor our father and his wishes. Yet, on the other hand, if Jesus calls you to follow His will, which is contrary to your father’s, what then? One day, I said to my wife that if Pastor Nimz would call today, who had not called in months, and ask us to come again, we must go. Within a few hours, the telephone rang, and it was him! He again pleaded with us to come and reminded us that whoever loves father and mother, houses, and careers more than Jesus is not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:37-38). It was as if the Lord was directly saying to us, “Do you love Me? Then go to the mission field and help feed My lambs!”
Doris and I still had no answers, yet in faith we knelt before the Lord and cried out for help! We prayed, “Lord, you know that we love You and wish to obey You.” We fully dedicated our lives to Him and pleaded in faith for Him to make a way.
In the following week, He did just that! The Lord Jesus removed one obstacle after another. I asked for a leave of absence at work and received it for the whole school year. We heard that Doris’ out-of-province cousins were looking for accommodations in Edmonton, as they wished to study at the university for a year. My father accepted them as tenants and had a complete change of heart. He was now willing to support us serving in the school mission!
With great joy and peace, we traveled to Mexico in September of 1979. I served as a teacher and Doris as a helper until the spring of 1980. We learned that if you really love Jesus with all your heart, listen to and obey His voice, He will always make a way!
Peter fully dedicates his life to the Lord when he answers, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You” (John 21:17). It is so wonderful to know that Jesus knows all things about us, including our weaknesses, and can help us in every situation. As we love and serve the Lord in faith, He has promised to answer our prayers and impart grace to us (John 14:13-14). Is your heart filled with His love? Can you answer with Peter, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You!”
Harry Klinger, Winnipeg (CA)
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