We love Christ because He first loved us. We find that love expressed in John 14. He took us up at the hand of God, and loved us on that ground. "The men which thou gavest Me;" "Thine they were, and thou gavest them Me." He puts forth His love to us as a divine thing in Himself, entirely irrespective of what we are. He might have to say to Peter, "You have faith in your own love to Me, yet before the cock crow thou wilt deny me thrice;" nevertheless He could say to him, as to them all, "Let not your heart be troubled, I shall go away" [and about 2000 years would pass]; "but I shall come and fetch you, that you may be with me for ever." See when He says three times to Peter, "Lovest thou Me?" how He is bringing off Peter from resting on his own love, to rest with implicit confidence in the love of Him who knew all things.
G. V. Wigram.