John 21:11-22
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net
ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not
torn. 12 Jesus
said to them, “Come
and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the
bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third
time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus
Reinstates Peter
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to
Simon Peter, “Simon
son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
“Yes,
Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus
said, “Feed
my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”
He
answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus
said, “Take
care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter
was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you
know that I love you.”
Jesus
said, “Feed
my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth,
when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when
you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify
God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom
Jesus loved was
following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the
supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When
Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what
is that to you? You must follow me.”
I
tell the Lord every day that I love Him and one day this scripture came to my
mind very clearly after I told Him that I loved Him. It was that point that I realized that this
scripture, although He was talking to Peter, is a scripture for all of us. If we truly love the Lord it is going to show
through what we find pleasure in. It is
going to show by our actions, are we feeding His lambs, are we feeding His sheep,
or are we just letting them wander in the wilderness?
I
often wondered why Jesus would ask Peter this question three times and then I
realized that He asked Peter the question the same number of times that he had
denied Jesus. Maybe He was just making a
point to Peter that yes, you denied me three times but now you have claimed
your love to me three times. His true
heart would be revealed in the way that he would die for Christ. Yes, there was a time that he took care of
himself. He denied Jesus to take care of
himself. Yes, he had claimed that he
would die with Christ but when it came right down to the matter, he was too
scared to do so. Jesus is telling Peter
here that he knows his heart and that Peter meant it when he said that he would
die with Christ, it was just not his time yet.
By
now Peter had seen the results of miraculous resurrection of Christ and now
that Christ was alive I am not sure that he really wanted to go through a death
as Christ had foretold that he would suffer through. So, Peter looks around and asks about his
brother in Christ, wondering if he would have to endure the same things as
Peter. How human of Peter, misery loves
company! I must say that I can identify
with Peter on that one.
This
scripture really spoke to me today as I read the last part where Peter was
asking about the fate of John. I have
done the same exact thing and it happened just a couple of days ago. I look at people who seemed to have escaped
disappointment and frustration and I wonder why I have not. Then today, as I read this scripture, I realized
that God has put us on a path, my path is not the same as theirs and it is not
my place to question where they are nor is it my place to question where I
am. My place is where God puts me and
where His glory can be revealed the most through my life. So as I journey on in this life, I must stay
on the path that He has chosen for me, I must feed His lambs and feed His
sheep, I must show Him by my words and actions that I truly do love Him. What business is it of mine as to where God
has placed others?
As
you seek Him, may you find yourself looking towards Him, telling Him that you
love Him and then putting those words into action by following His will for
your life.
Seeking
Him with all my heart and loving Him more and more,
Sheila
No comments:
Post a Comment