From the desk of Pastor Ben
Divine Love: Peter and Jesus – Part 2

Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”         (Matthew 14:28-31)

Our Lord, displaying the greatest of compassion, commanded Peter to come to Him on the water. Christ was greatly pleased that Peter wanted to join Him. So, we can be certain that Jesus wasn’t inviting Peter, much less commanding him, to do anything sinful, even though it involved something bold and unprecedented. Just as the Savior always accepts and builds upon a Christian’s weak faith, He always accepts and nourishes imperfect love such as Peter’s. With much patience and care, He takes believers’ love and, through sufferings and trials as well as blessings and triumphs, molds that love into more perfect conformity to the divine love.

Jesus’ telling the leader of the apostles to “Come!” was surely a loving order. John declares, “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love” (1 John 4:16). It is God’s nature to love His own with an infinite, unqualified, unchanging, and perfect love. And believers most fully reflect the love of God when they are loving, especially to one another. The apostle John instructs us, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God who he has not seen” (1 John 4:20).

Ask Yourself:
Have you had any reason lately to question the love of God on your behalf? It is so like our enemy to use negative situations to attack the sure Word of God, misinterpreting hardship as grounds for doubting the Lord’s faithful compassion. Stand firm on what you know to be true!