Dave's Diary

Daily Reading: John 21:1-14

Peter had denied publicly that he knew Jesus or was ever his disciple – thrice! Afraid and ashamed, Peter would quite probably no longer have put himself into the category of ‘disciple’, feeling that he had disqualified himself, and that Jesus, having seen and overheard his denials in the high priest’s courtyard, would certainly never accept him as a disciple. Peter was a mess of guilt and shame.

Knowing this, the risen Jesus, in an act of beautiful grace, sent a message to the disciples through an angel and the women who came to the tomb. The angel had instructed them, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” (Mark 16:7)

Peter had been included. He had been summoned by name. He was to meet Jesus in Galilee. The seed must have been planted in Peter’s mind that the fact that Jesus had called him there by name must surely be good news for him. Jesus must intend to forgive him and restore him! But on the other hand, perhaps there were dark doubts in his mind too. Perhaps he wondered whether Jesus had summoned him only to rebuke him roundly in person and then cast him out for good?

When Jesus appeared on the shoreline and John pointed out to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’, Peter threw caution (and his fishing net) to the wind and plunged headlong into the Lake. His love for Jesus and his desperation to be restored to fellowship with Him outweighed his guilt, his shame, his doubts and his fears.

Today, let us ask the Holy Spirit to increase our love for Jesus so that it may outweigh every other spiritual force at work in us.

Holy Spirit, fan into flame my love for Jesus. Let it burn in me to consume everything that stands in the way of my relationship with Him. Let my love for Him overpower my doubts, fears, guilt, shame, and even my temptations. Amen.