Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
More Than These?
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
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"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?"
(John 21:15)
Commentators debate over whether the "more than these" are these fish or these other disciples. My answer to that is yes. I see that Jesus can speak truths if the subject is either. Let's for a moment talk about the fish. "Do you love Me, Peter, more than these? You said you'd go a fishing; I called you to be fishers of men. You've now been convinced of My resurrection. I've appeared to you; you've seen the nail scars in My hands. Why did you go fishing? Do you really think you can be content doing anything other than what I created you for?"
What has God created you for? Are you content in what God has made you and has gifted you with? Are you content where He's placed you in the Body of Christ, in secular society, and on the planet? Jesus asks every one of us, "Do you love Me more than fame, fortune, ease, and position? That's a question I need you to answer, Peter, to see if you'll be able to endure in what I called you to do." The success in our lives, beloved, is finishing, not being weary in well-doing, for in due time, we'll reap if we don't faint.
"Do you love Me more than all that I can do for you? Are you serving Me like so many others? Don't you remember the response of the multitudes who followed us because I filled their stomachs? Do you remember, Peter, when you gave up of your own meager holdings--five loaves and two fishes--and you put them in My hands? I looked to the Father, prayed, blessed them, everybody was fed and each disciple took away a basket full. Do you love Me more than these? Those people that followed us followed us not because of the doctrine but because of what I did for them. Why are you following Me, Peter? Am I sufficient? Do you love Me? If you don't love Me, then what's our relationship going to be when all the stuff is gone? What you going to do when you're hated for My name's sake? Am I your treasure--just Me? Am I sufficient, or do you have to have what is naturally provided?" What about when you are rejected? What about when you are broken in your body? What about when you lose your greatest possessions? What about when the storms come, the houses collapse, and the children die? Is God sufficient? Are you going to trust in your own ability or in His sovereignty, character, and presence?
We've got ease of life, comfort, and everything that man can create to distract us from the presence of God. Are you happy about the new clothes, the new friend, or the new little gadget? Where's your treasure? What satisfies you? What do you live for? What do you really put value upon? That Pearl is not valuable to you until Jesus is Lord and you are never content outside of being obedient to His lordship. The only thing that satisfies is pleasing Him.