Do you love Me? —John 21:17
Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35; also see Matthew 26:33-34). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. Yet that is nothing but emotional love. It may reach deeply into our natural self, but it never penetrates to the spirit of a person. True love never simply declares itself. Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men [that is, confesses his love by everything he does, not merely by his words], him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8).
Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more than sin ever could, because sin dulls our senses. But this question of the Lord intensifies our sensitivities to the point that this hurt produced by Jesus is the most exquisite pain conceivable. It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on the deeper spiritual level. “For the Word of God is living and powerful…, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit…”— to the point that no deception can remain (Hebrews 4:12). When the Lord asks us this question, it is impossible to think and respond properly, because when the Lord speaks directly to us, the pain is too intense. It causes such a tremendous hurt that any part of our life which may be out of line with His will can feel the pain. There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth to us.
Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord, As usual, Chambers makes a universal statement, or at least gives me the feeling that his description of how you bring exquisite pain to us, is “always” the way you work in our lives. Of course you are bigger than any box we can contrive… and are free to work in our lives any way you want. Although we need to reject all boxes that Chambers or any teacher or system try to pigeon hole you into… we still must seek the kernel of truth in whatever they are saying. i.e. don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. That is what we are doing a lot these days as we are learning new aspects of you and your love. Richard Rohr mentioned “Transcend and Include” as a guide to finding new truth. Don’t reject our older truth, the truth that got us this far… but integrate the part that is true in to our new bigger picture. The metaphor of the blind men each experiencing an elephant by touching different parts is helpful. Perhaps we had known the elephant as tree by touching a leg. Now we touch the tail and find it rope like. But the tree likeness of the leg is still true. So help us integrate all of our past insights with what you are showing us now, and in the future.
Back to your question, Do you love me? I would say like the man you asked if he believed… Yes Lord I love you, but help my lack of love. Perhaps as we bring that love and lack of love into focus I will experience that “exquisite pain” that Chambers refers to and Peter felt after his denial. It seems like that intense experience only needs to happen once in a lifetime, or rarely???
Don’t over analyze it. It will happen as much as it needs to and you will allow. I mean as much as your surrender and connection and vulnerability will allow. If you don’t build walls of systematic theology that I need to fit into… More things can happen than you expect. Aspects of my love that you don’t even conceive of. So keep on coming on the path you are on. Know that there will be opposition, from religious systems, people and even your own love to be in control, have it figured out, be right etc.
Got it. BTW, did you wrestle with the same Big Four that we do? Look good, Feel good, Be right and Be in control.
Yes, it came with the package. When I agreed to enter this dimension in Bethlehem, I left what you might call my Super Powers and Exemptions and took on a full package of Humanity. Satan wouldn’t have tried the temptations that he did if he didn’t think he had the possibility of being successful. But just as I said, No thank you… Actually I told him what was written, you also can rely on what is written, even when it doesn’t seem to be true. You can rely on my love even when you don’t feel it. Just as I relied on Abba’s love, when I would have liked another way. I knew that regardless of the short term pain, it would all wind up good in the end. You can arm yourself with that same knowledge. It may seem PollyAnna to some and even yourself at first… but when this peace that passes understanding is proven and real, it will be compelling to them and you !! Then you will really believe.
Matt 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
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