The Principle of Obedience

In John 21:15-17, Jesus asked Peter three times "Do you love Me?" and three times Jesus commanded him "Feed My sheep."  Here the Lord had work for Peter to do, in  feeding Christ's sheep.  Jesus gauged Peter's heart to do so by his love for Him.  Love for God must be the principle of all our obedience.  It is love that makes obedience a joy and delight.  Without love, God's commandments will be a burden to us (1 John 5:3).  It is love that sets all the wheels of the soul a-going (from the third volume of Thomas Manton's wonderful exposition of Psalm 119).