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Jesus Affirms His Love For Peter


Jesus finds Peter and a few of the disciples fishing, which was the very thing he had asked them to leave behind when he called them into ministry. Since his resurrection, Jesus had already appeared to them two times. They knew for sure he was alive, but rather than spreading that good news, they had returned to the seashore.

Jesus calls out to them from afar, asking them to throw their net on the right side of the boat. Immediately the nets filled to overflowing. Do you remember this story? This miracle was the same miracle Jesus had performed when he first invited them to follow him. Seeing this miracle repeated, Peter immediately realizes it is Jesus and jumps out of the boat to meet him. As they all sit down to eat together, Jesus asks Peter the same question three times "Peter do you love me?" Each time Peter responds with a yes, and Jesus then reacts with the instructions to "Feed my sheep."

Jesus understood that Peter was stuck. He was allowing his failure to hold him back from doing what he was born to do. Rather than taking the lead as the "Rock" of the team, he was sitting on the sidelines. Jesus's response is so interesting. He reminds Peter of his call through the miraculous catch of fish and then allows him to face his failure head-on. It was three times that Peter denied Jesus, and it is three times that Jesus asks Peter to affirm his love for him. 

Daily Challenge: Sometimes it feels too painful to face our failures. However, God doesn't want shame to keep us from doing what we were born to do. God doesn't hold our past against us, and neither should you. Commit to prayer any feelings of shame or failure from your past. Receive God's forgiveness and choose to step into every good thing God has called you to do.