John 21
Have you ever had one of those days? Or even weeks? I realize so many people in our world live under terrible circumstances with war and persecution but my week felt like overload! One toilet overflowed, flooding the laundry and running out to carport before we caught it. Other toilet kept me busy with clean up from medical stuff my husband is going through. Yesterday I was running between toilets as one running water and other occupied by a mess. Of course there was a seizure first thing in the morning and a huge storm that knocked out the electricity in our house all evening. Did I mention the trip to Urgent Care and then Dr. midweek?
I can just imagine Peter being overwhelmed with all the events of Easter, with the guilt of his own failure, and with the confusion of how Jesus was now communicating. Overwhelmed people often give snappy, snarky answers quickly. We don’t want to be questioned and work so hard to keep up a good face to the public.
In the midst of that Peter goes fishing with friends, fails, Jesus gives advice and of course is right, and Peter gets to shore to eat breakfast with Jesus around a fire that already had fish roasting. I think there must have been a huge storm of emotions within Peter. Jesus asks Peter a question, “Peter, do you love me?” The obvious right answer in public is “yes.” Jesus knows and Peter knows the turmoil that masks. Three times Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” Peter realizes that Jesus has brought up the three times Peter denied Jesus at the trial and Peter responds, “Lord, you know all!”
During hard times when just keeping our head above water and giving the polite answer “I’m fine” to questions, seems like the best thing to do. Jesus spoke into Peter’s dynamic and ours. The important question is how perfect we are but do we love him. Jesus does not lecture about our mistakes like a parent. He redirected Peter from looking at the past and pointed his eyes to the future. “Feed my sheep.” Perhaps the lesson for us to learn to today is that in the midst of our struggles when our loves is dicey, Jesus still comes to us and loves us and can use us. Thank you, Lord!
On the Way to Wonder 