Do you truly love me?

I was reading in John 21 this morning. [I love when the Holy Spirit simply breathes upon the Word. It seems to turn from Bread to a Feast.] This is where the Lord asks Simon Peter three times, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" Every time Peter would answer, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you" Peter ended up feeling hurt that Jesus would have to ask him three times if he loved Him because Jesus knows everything! How could He not know that Peter loved Him?

What's been on my mind lately is the fact that Jesus' disciples lived with, walked with, ate with and fellowshipped with the God-Man face to face. They could touch Him, hear Him speak, learn about the Father directly from the Son and yet, before the rooster crowed on the day that Christ was crucified, Peter denied being a disciple of Jesus three times. Peter knew Jesus and yet he denied Him.

This makes me really evaluate my heart. I do know God. I do LOVE God! I have a living relationship with Him but I'm not constantly communing with Him or walking with Him or speaking with Him. I have never seen Him face to face but I do know and believe that He is alive and at work within and around me.

If Jesus' disciples, who lived with Him, could deny His Kingship how much more easy (and this is not an excuse!) would it be for us to deny Him? If we do not take the time to come to know God how will we be able to stand up for Him and say that He is the King? If we do not commune with Him, rest in Him, talk with Him and receive from Him how will we come to know Him?

I want Jesus to say of me, "This one! This one has truly loved Me and she has loved Me well!" I want to touch the heart of my Maker. I want to love Him so well it hurts to think about not loving Him. That I would die for His love! (Jesus had told Peter that he would be a martyr in vs.18) I want to become a love-sick worshipper. I want to be ruined for His love. And I am, to a point. But I think there's so much more...I want more!