Welcome to the Elmhurst CRC Devotional Experience.
It’s Friday, the sixth day of Easter week
Our scripture reading today comes from John 21:15-19
We all know Peter, he’s Jesus’ guy. His right hand man during Jesus’s ministry on earth. I love Peter because he gives me so much hope. I see a lot of me in Peter. So in love with Jesus yet so very wild. Think about it he jumped out of boats, cut off a guys ear, and even asked to build tents for the transfiguration. He is a guy that is in love and wants to get stuff done.
I think Peter gives me such hope because he is so human! His love and devotion abound for Jesus, but even Peter gets scared. When Jesus was taken captive and was going on trial Peter is presented with a very simple question. “You were one of His disciples you know Him you were one of the ones with Jesus of Galilee?” And Peter, in a very human moment, denies that he knew Jesus. In fact three times he stands by a fire, in the dark, just outside where Jesus was on trial and denies that he ever knew who Jesus was. Jesus told Peter that he would deny ever knowing Him and Peter responded to Jesus that he never could do such a thing. But then as the rooster crowed that night the true realization struck.
Could you imagine what it must have felt like? The sound of that rooster’s crow must have been like an air horn. You know that noise in your life, when you realize just how far you have drifted from God and it seems like there is no use. Like its not even worth trying any longer, like you are just no good. For Peter this realization must have made the world seem so dark, so cold, even the fire that burned next to him must have seemed like it gave off very little light. But that’s not where the story ends for Peter and its not the way that Jesus leaves things! In fact, it's just where our scripture reading starts.
Jesus had died, and Peter and some of the other disciples go fishing. Jesus was gone and so they go back to what is familiar. But, here is the the beautiful part!!! Jesus found the disciples right where He found them at the beginning of His ministry on earth. He gave them all they could imagine in a catch. And then had a meal with them. And during the meal He asks Peter if Peter loves Him more than those fish. The fish represent the old stink, but also the comfortable safety net, the familiar life; not the crazy life. The life that we thought would make us happy. And so Jesus asked Peter three times, Do you love me? Peter says yes and Jesus responds, Feed my lambs, Do you love me… Take care of my sheep, Do you love me… Feed my sheep. Each time Peter answered yes. The last time he even cried out in frustration “yes Lord you know I love you!” He was at a place where He desired so badly to forget what he had said and done and be forgiven. Thats beautiful thing!
Jesus is bringing back light into the darkness. He is undoing the very thing that Peter thought could never be forgotten, what Peter thought could never be forgiven. Jesus does this all around a fire. Just like the fire Peter stood by and denied Christ. One of the most amazing senses we have is our sense of smell. It is one of the most powerful ways to recall memories. Could you imagine that every time you smelled a fire you would remember your denial of Christ? But Jesus love for us goes so deep, that when He redeems Peter, when Jesus redeems us, He does it fully, His light comes bursting into the darkest places of our lives, the parts we wish to never relive, to never remember. the power of the resurrection shines the light of God’s power into our lives to remind us that He forgives all, redeems all, and redirects all! Even down to the very scent of our sin.
Find a dark or dim place nearby. As you do so, remember that God has forgiven you and redeemed you. He will go to the farthest stretches to restore you and bring you back into right relationship with Himself! Bring along seven sources of light for the seventh day of our experi