Do You Love Me?
A Devotional Reflection on John 21:15–17
Scripture:
“He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’”
—John 21:16
There are moments in Scripture that feel so holy, so tender, that you almost want to whisper when you read them. John 21 is one of those moments.
Peter had failed publicly. The man who once boldly declared that he would never deny Jesus had done exactly that. Three times. In fear. In weakness. In heartbreak.
And perhaps even more painful than the denial itself was the shame that followed it.
Peter knew what he had done.
Jesus knew too.
Yet after the resurrection, Jesus did not come to Peter with condemnation in His voice. He did not humiliate him. He did not demand explanations or rehearse Peter’s failure. Instead, Jesus met him by the shoreline. He built a fire. He fed him breakfast. He came near.
My, my, my.
What kindness.
What love.
Jesus already knew the worst inside of Peter, and still He moved toward him instead of away from him.
That is the Gospel.
So often we imagine that God will love us less when He sees our weakness, our failure, our fear, or our sin. Yet Scripture reveals something altogether different. Jesus fully knew Peter’s denial before it ever happened. He knew the fear. He knew the breaking point. He knew the tears Peter would cry afterward.
And still…
He loved him through all of it.
Not because sin did not matter, but because grace was greater still.
By the fire that morning, Jesus asked Peter one question:
“Do you love Me?”
Not:
“Why did you fail Me?”
“Can I trust you again?”
“Prove yourself.”
“Earn your way back.”
Just:
“Do you love Me?”
Because Jesus was restoring Peter first into relationship before restoring him into ministry.
That question still echoes into our lives today.
Jesus meets us in the places where shame says we are disqualified. He comes near to the weary, the broken, the fearful, and the ashamed. He restores us not merely into usefulness, but into sonship. Into relationship. Into love.
The enemy wants us trapped in self-condemnation, endlessly replaying our failures. But Jesus lovingly calls us beyond ourselves and back into His heart.
And maybe that is why we sing.
Not because we have been perfect.
Not because we have never failed.
But because He knew the worst inside of us and loved us through all of it.
My, my, my.
What a Savior.
Prayer
Jesus, thank You for Your kindness and Your relentless love. Thank You that You meet us in our weakness and restore us with mercy instead of condemnation. Help us to believe that Your grace is greater than our failures. Teach us to rest in Your love and follow You again with grateful hearts. Amen.
Reflection
Have you been living more aware of your failures than of the kindness of Jesus toward you? What would it look like to truly believe that He already knows—and still lovingly calls you closer?