The Lord’s Probing Questions: A Love That Runs Deep
📖 “Jesus said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me?” — John 21:17
Peter, the bold disciple, the one who swore allegiance even unto death, found himself standing before the Lord, wounded—not by accusation, but by love. Three times Jesus asked, “Do you love Me?” And by the third, Peter was grieved. Not because he doubted his love, but because he finally saw it for what it was—not a love proved by words or deeds, but a love known fully by the One who sees the heart.
Jesus' questions did not shame Peter; they revealed him. They peeled back layers of self-assurance, sentimentality, and even regret, leaving him with nothing but truth: “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” There was no longer any need to defend, no need to prove—only to surrender to the Lord’s knowing gaze.
So it is with us. There are moments when the Lord, in His perfect wisdom, allows us to be confronted by the depth of our love for Him. Not for His sake—He already knows—but for ours. His questions are not meant to expose us in shame, but to lead us into deeper certainty. In those moments, all self-reliance crumbles, and we realize that the love we have for Him is far deeper than we ever understood. Not because we feel it strongly, not because we have performed well, but because He Himself has placed it within us.
A Simple Picture: The Hidden Flame
A candle can burn unnoticed in daylight, its warmth and glow imperceptible among the brightness around it. But when darkness falls, its flame proves what was there all along. So it is with our love for Christ. The probing questions, the difficult moments, the searching eyes of Jesus—they do not create love, but they reveal it.
If He brings you to such a moment, do not shrink back. Do not fear the hurt of the Lord, for it is a hurt that heals. It is in His knowing, in His piercing love, that we find the deepest assurance—we are His, and we love Him, because He first loved us.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, You see all things, and You know all things. There is no need for me to prove my love, for You have already searched my heart and known it. Thank You for the moments when You reveal what is real within me—when You strip away what is shallow and bring me to the quiet certainty that my love for You is not built on my efforts but on Your life within me. I rest in this truth today, trusting that You are the one who sustains and deepens what You have begun. Amen.
📷 Photo credit: Unsplash
✍️ Devotional credit: Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest