... and man, is it hard to get back into the swing of things. There are about a bajillion things I'd LOVE to write about and about a bajillion things I need to do around the house (hmmmm ... fix the flat on the lawnmower, finish the yardwork I started two weeks ago, unpack from Mexico, clean house, unload the dishwasher ... urrghhhhh ...) and TWO bajillion things I need to do for work (kind of stinks that life didn't stop just because I left the country) and I would just LOVE, LOVE, did I say LOVE to go to bed right now, at 7:00 pm! AND I'd LOVE, LOVE to get back my goal mojo ... the quiet times, running, blogging, community loving, having people over kind of mojo. So, here's step one toward that. Step two (the run) might not happen tonight. Pretty sure the yard work's definitely NOT happening tonight. And I'm waiting on my dear Gavin to fix the tire. SO, for now, here's a new blog entry.
The Mexico trip was amazing! It's on the list of a bajillion things I'd love to write about. But, I have been unable to get this out of my mind. This passage kept coming back to me from the moment we got to the beach on the eve of Easter and each day as I looked out from my balcony onto the ocean. And then, yesterday at church, our pastor spoke on that very passage. SO, I wanted to spend some more time pondering it before it goes to my Diet Coke induced short term memory loss! (By the way, the pictures ARE from the Mexico trip ... so you can see why this story was so on my mind ...)
John 21
Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias. Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the brothers James and John, were there, together with two other disciples. Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing!" The others said, "We will go with you." They went out in their boat. But they didn't catch a thing that night.
Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was. Jesus shouted, "Friends, have you caught anything?" "No!" they answered. So he told them, "Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish." They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat.
Jesus' favorite disciple (don't you just love that John refers to himself this way??) told Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. The boat was only about a hundred yards from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish. When the disciples got out of the boat, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. Jesus told his disciples, "Bring some of the fish you just caught." Simon Peter got back into the boat and dragged the net to shore. In it were one hundred fifty-three large fish, but still the net did not rip.
Jesus said, "Come and eat!" But none of the disciples dared ask who he was. They knew he was the Lord. Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave some of it to his disciples. He did the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from death.
1. The disciples were devastated at the loss of Jesus. And not only that, Peter had to be reeling that He had denied the one he loved. I am sure they were confused, disappointed, disillusioned. They never seemed to get what He was telling them the first time ... so no, they weren't hanging out at the tomb waiting for Him to come strolling out. Instead, they were going back to what was comfortable, what they knew. Much like us eating chocolate ice cream on the couch after a long, tough day of it. They went back to fishing. What else was there for them to do. They had spent the last three years on a perpetual mission trip of sorts, learning at Jesus' feet, serving, healing, listening ... and now, their leader is gone and what is there to do, but the ONE other thing you know how to do ... and that thing you're good at and know well enough to do in your sleep ... of course that's where your heart leads when its worn out of the trying.
Now, I LOVE some fishing. There is something very peaceful and relaxing about tossing a line in the water. And like the disciples, I seldom catch. Ok, so I never catch, never catch anything bigger than a "snicker" fish ... even Wendy with her perfectly manicured hands and cute "do" can catch bigger fish ... without even getting dirty! And it's all peaceful until you get a bite ... then it gets exciting! Charles Swindoll says, "Jesus proves the potential by breaking the nets and filling our boats." We've got nothing ... but He tells us to cast one more time ... and when we do ... its for His glory, not our own!
2. Jesus knew where to find them. And He didn't rebuke them. He just revealed Himself through His actions and cooked them breakfast on the beach. When I know I've royally screwed up. When I'm exhausted or hurting. It is priceless to know Jesus doesn't pick that time for a lecture or a speech. He pulls up a chair and serves me breakfast on the beach.
3. Peter, of course, wasn't the first to recognize Jesus, but He was the first to hoof it out of the boat and to His Master. Why wouldn't he? It had to be deja vu ... don't you remember what happened when Jesus called Peter from fishing for fish to fishing for men?? Luke 5 ...
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
What the start of a redemption story that Jesus does something so personal for Peter as to remind him of his call. Don't we all need to be reminded some days? Peter knows he has failed. He doesn't know that he has another chance. But here is Jesus, reminding him of his call ... and then redeeming that call for what He has ahead.
John 21:16-19
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."
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."
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.
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." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
Again ... how many times did Peter deny Jesus? And how many times does Jesus ask His question?
And his final words to Peter again are "follow me ..." this time it means more than leave behind your nets. This time, it means (literally) leave behind your life!
Jesus restored Peter to the calling and the plan He had for him. He did not leave him to fish for fish. Praise God He doesn't leave us to ourselves either!
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