"Feed My Sheep" (John 21:17)

This is love in the making. The love of God is un‑made, it is God's nature. When we receive the Holy Spirit it unites us with God so that His love is manifested in us. When we are united with God by the indwelling of the 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 with the Father? Such a oneness that the Father sent Him down here to be spent for us, and He says, "As my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." (John 20:21)

After Peter had testified how much he loved his Lord, he was instructed to spend it out—"Feed My sheep." And Jesus had some extraordinarily funny sheep, some bedraggled, dirty sheep, some awkward butting sheep, some sheep that had 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.

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