Verse of the Day 6/15

 

John 21:15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, 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."   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

Today's verse comes from yesterday's passage in my read through the Bible plan.  Once again, it is a familiar passage, but the question that stood out was Jesus' question to Peter, "do you love me more than these."  Earlier in the chapter Peter, perhaps being disillusioned from all the had gone on, perhaps feeling  unworthy to consider himself a "Christ follower" after his denials, he had decided to go back to fishing.

 

In doing so he must have realized that it was not what he was to be doing.  His heart was no longer in it.  Jesus comes to him at this point.  He provides a miraculous catch and it shows Peter's true heart.  He is not excited about the catch, but realized immediately that the catch was the Lord's doing.  Perhaps too, at some part in this this story that he would rather be a fisher of men.  The conversation solidified the feeling of his heart.  Jesus asked penetrating questions, ones that would cause Peter to look deep within and then outside of himself to see what is truly important.  Feeding the Jesus' lambs.

 

We may look back in our lives to a time when we were disappointed in circumstances, events in our lives that left us disillusioned and perhaps unworthy at times.  Do you recall a time when you were tempted to give up and go back to your old ways?  Hopefully, God spoke to you in the same way and asked "do you love me more than these", those things that you used to do and follow?

 

On this Father's Day, it is a reminder for us fathers about our priorities.  May we not lose focus on feeding the lambs.  They may be our children, grandchildren or other friends and loved ones.  The other things in life lose their importance when we consider our call to love the Lord and to love our families and friends.

 

Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be; 
Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free. 
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Let us early turn to Thee. 
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Let us early turn to Thee

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

John 21:14-16

The Message (MSG)

^13-14 Jesus then took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus had shown himself alive to the disciples since being raised from the dead.

Do You Love Me?

¹⁵ After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"

"Yes, Master, you know I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

¹⁶ He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"

"Yes, Master, you know I love you."

Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."