Hosanna Restoration Church

I am beginning to understand that there really is no simple explanation of what love is. I am also becoming very convinced that it is not necessary to be able to explain it. We simply must believe that such a love exists and that it can be acquired or better yet that we actually have it in us and we need only to allow it to have its way.

Since God is love this all makes perfect sense, because in order to please God we must first believe that He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. The excellent thing about love is that it does not focus on the rewards or anything else, love focuses on the object of its affection.

As I look at the conversation that Jesus had with Peter, I am fully aware of the depth of teaching that has taken place on this passage of scripture. However I am not a deep teacher, so I just want to look at the question and why it was asked and see what I can learn from it as I continue my quest to love God! In my mind, this passage perfectly illustrates the need for us to love God, because no matter how much He loves us, His love will not keep us standing if we want to sit down or run.

It is safe to say that Peter had witnessed enough of the power and miracles of God to keep him standing, if that alone were able to do it. Peter had in fact performed miracles. He not only cast out demons and healed the sick, he had walked on water and been rescued by Jesus when he lost his focus and began to sink. This is a short list of the reasons that Peter had not to doubt, but as we know, Peter went beyond doubting to outright denying that He even knew Jesus. I believe Jesus was telling Peter along with all of us that there is something in love that could and would tie all the rest together in a bundle that could not be shaken.

Everyone who is born again has to have come to the understanding that they are loved by God. This is in fact very difficult for many people to come to grips with, and it does not take long in that relationship to realize that His kind of love simply cannot be explained. There is no good reason that a natural mind can comprehend for His love to focus on every person in the world, let alone me. Even an elementary understanding of that makes it clear that if His love is not returned, there is no relationship. We all know that no matter how much a person loves another person, it will not make the relationship work if the other person does not return the love. However if love is given by both parties, nothing will tare it apart.

There is no doubt that God’s love for us never waivers nor is there any question concerning what He will do for us because He loves us. What we must come to realize is the role that our love for God plays in His plan. We all have the seed of that love in us. My prayer is that we will nurture it until it produces an overflowing harvest of love for God.