This Great Love : Part two

   If you look about twenty verses back in the book of Luke, you'll find there was a time during the last supper when Jesus fortold Peter's denial. In Luke 22:31-34 it says this:

   And the Lord said,
 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
 And he said unto Him, 

  "Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death."
 And He said,
   " I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."

  So we see the devotion of Peter. This man who was nothing but a humble fisherman when Christ came to him and changed his life. The man who walked on water because of his faith, the man who said "I am ready to go with thee, both into prison and to death."

 
 He loved Jesus with his whole heart. He had been brought to light and life by Jesus, and in return he gave Him his whole heart.
  
  There is a new song which describes some of the disciples in a much more eloquent manner than I can. The first verse says this:

   
I was born a slave to the water, Casting nets in a sea of disbelief. There you were saying "Don't be afraid." Then you called me. Oh, Son of God. You have made me whole. ( Son of God, Francesca Battistelli )


  This is the heart of who Peter was when Christ rescued him. And because of this, he loved God.

  Jesus understood that Peter was going to make a mistake because he was human. And He was giving Peter a look at the big picture. 

    "Satan hath desired to have you...But I have prayed for thee." He was telling Peter that He was fighting for him because Peter was precious to Him, and He would not let Satan destroy him. He was showing how much He loved Peter by letting him know that even in his shame and despair He would be waiting for his heart to come back to Him.

 We know that Satan desires to crush all that is good, that means Jesus and all that follow Him. Perhaps he was well aware of the potential that Peter had to be a great servant for the Lord, and wanted to destroy it while he still could. Thus the attempt to persuade him through fear or some other method to deny Jesus.
 
  Then Jesus said, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not :"

  Even though he could already feel the hurt of the betrayal, Jesus was telling Peter, Satan wants you, but I am fighting for you.

 
  He goes on to say, " ..and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." I think "art converted" can be more accurately described as "art converted back". Basically He was saying, "When you've repented."

  Put yourself in Peter's shoes for a moment. Consider what it was like for your closest companion to be the Savior of the world, and walk beside you every day. To love you enough to fight for you when He knew you would deny Him at the very moment He needed you most.

   What kind of love is this? Can we even fully understand it? In the midst of all of this emotional and spiritual turmoil going on in Jesus' human heart, He was still fighting for the one's He loves.
                                                  
                                                                                    ~

  The third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, they were on a boat on the sea of Tiberias, as they dined together for one of the last times, the following conversation occurred in John 21:15 -17 :

          So when they had dined Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

 "Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these?" He saith unto him, 

  "Yeah Lord; thou knowest that I love thee." He saith unto him,
 "Feed my lambs."
  He saith unto him again the second time,
  "Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me?" He saith unto Him,

"Yeah Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." He saith unto him,

 "Feed my sheep." He saith unto him the third time,
 "Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me?" Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time "Lovest thou me?" and he said unto Him,
 "Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee." Jesus said unto him, "Feed my sheep."

  In this passage it's almost like Jesus is giving Peter a chance to redeem himself. Three times He asked him to confirm his love. Just like three times Peter denied Him.

   This conclusion, which takes place after the repentance of Peter and after the resurrection of Christ, helps us understand the depth of His love for Peter. The depth of love He expresses for all. And because of this great love we have hope and beauty and life through Him.
 
   Christ did not die just for the world, but for each. If you had been the only one there was to die for, He would have done the same. 
 
   Instead of looking at Peter's story as one of failure, I believe the intention was more to show us ourselves. We probably would have denied like Peter, or doubted like Thomas or betrayed like Judas. The point is that Jesus loves us deeply anyway, and calls us back to Him every time we step away. He is not willing to let us go. Peter understood this better than most because of his trial.

          John, another disciple of great heart, had this to say about love :
 
   And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. ( 1 John 4:16 )
 
 So as you reflect, remember that there is a God who loves you more than anything He's ever created, one who lives for you, died for you, fights for you, intercedes in prayer for you and loves you. Seek Him out and try to know Him better.