The Look of Love

Text: John 18:12-27

Max Lucado tells the story of his friend Roy who used to sit on a park bench for a few minutes each morning. He liked to watch the kids gather and play at the bus stop. One day he noticed a little fellow, maybe five or six years of age, struggling to board the bus. While others were climbing on, he was leaning down, frantically trying to disentangle a knotted shoestring. He grew more anxious by the moment, frantic eyes darting back and forth between the shoe and the ride.

All of a sudden, it was too late. The door closed.

The boy fell onto his backside and sighed. That’s when he saw Roy. With tear-filled eyes, he looked at the man on the bench and asked, “Do you untie knots?”

Jesus loves that request.

Throughout the gospels, Peter finds himself in knots of his own making. He boldly declared he would lay down his life for Jesus, but only a few hours later, he denied being Jesus' disciple on three occasions. After Peter's third denial, Luke reports, "And the Lord turned and looked at Peter" (Luke 22:61). Ouch!

Have you ever said something similar? “Jesus, I promise you this time that I’m committed. This time you can really count on me. This time I’m going to follow you wholeheartedly. This time I won’t mess up."

We all know what it feels like to let Jesus down. We’ve all been in that moment when the rooster crowed, and we see Jesus looking at us.

But that's not the end of the story for Peter, and it's not the end of the story for you. Jesus unties knots!

No matter the mess you find yourself in today, Jesus looks at you in love. How do I know this?

Even as Jesus hung on the Cross, He prayed for those who had perpetrated this evil on Him, “…Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34). And this prayer was for His enemies. Look what God says about His children:

• But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8 )
• All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out (John 6:37)
• Nothing will be able to separate you from God love in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39)
• and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5)

Dave Ortlund writes, "God’s children must know that their sins do not push God farther away from them; they pull him closer, like a father who wants to embrace an afflicted child."

Jesus is looking at you in love today. His arms are open and He is willing to untie your knots. Will you admit your great need for Him?