Jesus' simple command, but huge ramifications that come with it. I think we know, deep down, what we need to do. It is just difficult to do, especially on our own strength. I wonder how often we "counterfeit" God's love, as Chambers talks about. We think we are loving each other with the love of God, or loving those that God brings in our midst, but it is really from our own desires and our own shallow pool of love. Worth thinking about.

Peter now realizes that he does love Him, due to the revelation that came with the Lord’s piercing question. The Lord’s next point is— "Pour yourself out. Don’t testify about how much you love Me and don’t talk about the wonderful revelation you have had, just ’Feed My sheep.’ " Jesus has some extraordinarily peculiar sheep: some that are unkempt and dirty, some that are awkward or pushy, and some that have gone astray! But it is impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust my love if it flows from the Spirit of God within me. The love of God pays no attention to my prejudices caused by my natural individuality. If I love my Lord, I have no business being guided by natural emotions— I have to feed His sheep. We will not be delivered or released from His commission to us. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by following your own natural human emotions, sympathies, or understandings. That will only serve to revile and abuse the true love of God.

Utmost 02.03