January 29

Love's Revelations!

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea. — John 21:7 BSB

Love will see most quickly. James was there, full of practical commonsense; Thomas also, who doubted, but later believed; Peter, who wanted to die with Jesus but then denied Him; and the rest of them were there too. But it was John, the one whom Jesus loved, and who later became the Apostle of Love, who first recognized the Master. Whether it was the tone of His voice, His thoughtful inquiry, or His readiness to help, we don’t know. But the intuitions of love are as swift as they are sure. Prophecies will fail, tongues will cease, and knowledge will fade away, but love will remain. And in that last hour, love will help us see most clearly and most certainly.

It is love that unites us, and we believe that Jesus is just as eager for the moment when we will be with Him as we are to get there. Imagine a friend waiting at the landing-stage after a long voyage—eager to see you, perhaps even more than you are to see them. Do you think Peter cared about the cold water when he threw himself into the sea? Or worried about ruining his coat? When we see Jesus just beyond the river, we won’t care about the chill either.

In that glorious morning, we will recognize and help each other. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, said to Peter, "It is the Lord," giving Peter the chance to meet Jesus first. He knew how Peter had suffered, how much he longed to make things right, and how he would treasure those few extra moments alone with the Lord. And so, John graciously gave him the chance to meet Jesus first.

That’s likely the etiquette of heaven! We sometimes think there will be such a crowd that we won’t be able to get close to the Lord. But the greatest saints will be the humblest, the kindest, offering their place to others. John will say to Peter, "It is the Lord."

Prayer

Impart to me, O God, the spirit of Your love, that I may be more eager to give than to receive, more anxious to understand than to be understood, and more thoughtful of others than of myself. Amen.