The Mission That Won't Let Go
Mar 3, 2021 at 6:43 AM
Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’ (John 21:17, NIV)
Peter’s love for Jesus was refined through his total failure of denying Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Before the Lord, he had nothing to boast about, no declarations to make, only a total denial of self. He was renewed.
Jesus asked Peter three times, ‘Do you love me?’ Three times, Peter told Jesus, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ And Jesus said to Peter three times, ‘Feed my sheep.’
A Christian who has experienced loving God with human love and resulted in complete failure, when renewed, says to the Lord Jesus with a heart of shame, humility, and trembling, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ And yet, Jesus’ charge, requirement, command is—‘Feed my sheep.’
Why not some other charge or command? Like, live well, take care of others, change the world…
Feeding my sheep is truly the most basic, ordinary, hard, utterly unexciting, futureless, unrewarding task (a bit like planting trees one by one in a desert), but it is the most important, greatest, most sacred thing because this is the will of the Father.
Jesus was sent to the world because of His love for the sheep—His love for mankind. Jesus said, ‘but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.’ (John 14:31, NIV) Jesus’ way of loving the Father is by following the Father’s command. Our way of loving the Lord Jesus is also by obeying Jesus’ command.
Is ‘Feed my sheep’ said to all Christians? Or is it only for ‘high-level’ Christians like Peter, who pastor and lead the church? I think it’s for all Christians.
For Christians at different stages of life, in different places of service, feeding my sheep might take different forms. Jesus’ sheep include those inside the pen and those outside. Evangelizing, caring for the young/weak, maturing leaders—all these are ways of ‘feeding my sheep.’
Thank God for:
- Brother XF helping me resolve and understand issues in my devotional time;
- Camilla helping me with product-related questions;
- God’s provision, allowing more time with my wife and children at home over the past couple of years;