Christ asked Peter three times if He truly loved Him. Each time Peter answer “Yes, Lord, you know I do.” Yet, Christ wanted to know if Peter loved Him more than anything else in the world, he wanted to know if Peter loved him with an agape love. And yet, Peter did not say what the Lord longed to hear. He continued to answer in the realm of phileo love. Simply, saying, you know Lord, of course I love you….as a buddy.

Thinking about John 21:15-17 this came to mind;

More than a Friend

“So, You asked if I loved You the other day

I turned and said what I thought I should say,

“Lord, of course I love! Why do you ask?”

But, you could see through it, my heart couldn’t mask,

The feelings so strong,

Didn’t think I was wrong.

 

Then you asked me again, “Do you really love me?”

So, I let out a sigh and wondered how could this be?

Is he really asking another time?

Interrogation, there’s been no crime.

But, just to be sure, I told Him once more,

“Lord, of course, I love You, it’s You I adore.”

 

Then I looked at Him, surprised to see His sorrowful eyes,

So, I stood from my knees and I started to rise,

But, He grabbed my hand and looked at me,

And He asked me again, “Do you really love me?”

I rolled my eyes and wanted to yell

How many times did I have to tell”

“Yes, Lord, You know I really love you!”

“Can’t you see by all I say and Do?”

 

Then I walked away and left Him standing there,

And it wasn’t ’till later I became fully aware.

I answered His question, but not how He wanted to hear.

He asked if I loved Him, if He was all I held dear.

He asked if He consumed me, my body, my heart, my mind, my soul,

Was He my desire, my pleasure, my pride? Did He complete me and make me whole?

To Him would I give my everything,

 Bow down to Him and crown Him my King?

 

You see, when he asked me, if I loved Him that day,

I thought I said what I needed to say,

But, now I can see, what I said in the end

“Sure Lord, of course, I love You…but only as a friend.”