Re:Verse passage – John 21:15-25 (day three)
“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’”
Everyone longs to know the answer to this question. You’ve asked it all your life in various ways. “Do I matter to you?” “Do you treasure what I’ve accomplished?” “Will my presence make a difference to you?” You wanted your family to see your game or your recital. You feel joy when a friend celebrates your birthday. The question is a vulnerable one, and the stakes for your inner life are high. The answer isn’t always yes, even when the words would claim otherwise. You feel love when it’s really there, and you can tell when it’s not, though admitting its absence is sometimes more painful than you can bear. Jesus longed for Peter’s love, and he longs for yours. He’s really asking in all vulnerability.
