So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 John 21: 15-19
Today’s Reading: Ezra 6-8: John 21
What up Pistol Pete?
Man… You must be blown away homie. Jesus told you that you were going to deny him three times and you did it.
And now only days later Jesus not only forgives you, but tells you to be the first leader of his people when he goes away for good?
What are you thinking right now?
I bet you’re thinking… ummm.. I ain’t the one. Why me? I’m not worthy? Pick the other guy? There must be someone better. I started doubting you in a nanosecond and you make me the head of the fam? Why?
I think this is pretty amazing too but it kinda makes sense. One thing that I’ve noticed is that the folks who have come from the lowest lows are the ones who are most gangsta about riding for God to the highest highs.
Sometimes we gotta fall to learn how to stand tall. And you did that. You had all kinds of pride and then you fell way way low. But in that fall you learned to appreciate the value of trust, loyalty, honesty, responsibility, and love. You learned it because in those moments of doubt you let you fear block you from expressing every one of those virtues.
But in the end it’s all good. Jesus knew your heart. He knew your love, and it is based on that zealous love that you were chosen to lead.
That’s pretty fresh.
Thanks for the lesson and the hope that when I fall, I will have a chance to get up and rise higher than I ever dreamed that I would before the fall.
Thanks man.
C3
P.S. It was kinda cold-blooded that Jesus asked you if you loved him three times… obvious irony is a rough game sometimes isn’t it?
Looking at a few of your posts tonight and have to sum up on three. It is to me amazing what a motley crew the Apostles were, and yet it came to be that Peter "ROCKed on" and Thomas' apostleship carried him to India, where a prime root of Christianity has carried on to this day. Both were martyred for their beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Jesus showed us his perfect love by these examples of men. These examples, to me, remind me of the choice God made in creating us that we would have free will. And His commitment to our redemption.
Beautiful Fathers' Day post and that ties into the two posts I am commenting on about our Apostles.
"Years later when I look back on all of the lessons, and nagging, and hard labor I realize that he was doing the best that he could to prepare me to be a good man."
Also love Manny's assessment of C girls
Linda
@Linda Free will and redemption... i like the way you put that. Free will and redemption are our yin and yang of faith. there is no balance if one is missing.
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