Feed My sheep.

— John 21:17

This is love in the making. The love of God is tin-made, it is God’s
nature. When we receive the Holy Spirit He unites us with God so that
His love is manifested in us. When the soul is united to God by the
indwelling Holy Spirit, that is not the end; the end is that we may
be one with the Father as Jesus was. What kind of oneness had Jesus
Christ with the Father? Such a oneness that the Father sent Him down
here to be spent for us, and He says – “As the Father hath sent Me,
even so send I you.”

Peter realizes now with the revelation of the Lord’s hurting question
that he does love Him; then comes the point – “Spend it out.” Don’t
testify how much you love Me, don’t profess about the marvellous
revelation you have had, but – “Feed My sheep.” And Jesus has some
extraordinarily funny sheep, some bedraggled, dirty sheep, some
awkward, butting sheep, some sheep that have gone astray! It is
impossible to weary God’s love, and it is impossible to weary that
love in me if it springs from the one centre. The love of God pays no
attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality. If I
love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament;
I have to feed His sheep. There is no relief and no release from this
commission. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along
the line of natural human sympathy, because that will end in
blaspheming the love of God.

On this day...

• When we pray - 2011
• POPULARITY VERSUS PRODUCTIVITY - 2008