“The third time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you
love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love
me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said,
'Feed my sheep'” (John 21:17, NIV).
Each one of us make mistakes. We fail each other unintentionally. We
sometimes fail each other when trying to encourage or help each other. Caring
for someone else is personal, and intimacy makes us vulnerable. It is during
these times when we are vulnerable that we run the risk of being hurt. Loving
and caring for someone is a risk, but it is also the greatest reward. It is in
giving ourselves away that we discover more of Christ in our lives. Jesus showed
this kind of sacrificial love when He gave His life for us. But sometimes in
this giving ourselves away, we fail. Peter also failed. He failed Jesus at a
coal fire the night before his death. He denied he even knew him. It was not
Peter's intention to deny him. In fact, he had claimed earlier that he would
never deny his Savior, but Jesus knew better. He knew Peter's human heart, and
in the moment of crisis what would happen.
Have you ever failed a friend or someone who God has brought into your
life? What do you do when that happens? You ask forgiveness from the Lord and
from that person, but often you can't forgive yourself for your failure. You
heart is torn and broken, and you become paralyzed—unable to move forward,
speak, or do anything for fear of another failure. Peter hid after denying
Christ. He was unable to bear his failure. Just as Jesus did not want Peter to
hide in his misery, He wants the same for you and me. He wants us free of the
pain of failure so we will continue to reach out to others.
Consider Peter and his brokenness after denying His Savior three times
at a coal fire the night before His crucifixion. It was Peter's failure to
forgive himself that finally brought him to another coal fire where Jesus
waited. Peter had hidden himself long enough. The time for healing and
restoration had come. In John 21:15-18 Jesus restores Peter's brokenness from
his failure by asking Peter three times if he loves Him. Three times Peter had
denied Jesus, and now it is no accident that Jesus asks him three times if he
loves Him. Peter faces the Master He has loved and failed. He says what is
really in his heart, and with each word he reaches for forgiveness. “Lord, you
know that I love you,” he says. Each time Peter answers Jesus' question of “do
you love me”, Jesus says to Peter “feed my lambs—take care of my sheep—feed my
sheep.” Jesus doesn't focus on Peter's failure because the failure is past.
Peter has been forgiven. He instructs Peter to focus on “feeding the sheep” and
not on his failure. Jesus lifts the broken man to restoration and healing. It is
no accident that this has occurred by a coal fire. The thought of a coal fire
will never be one of failure for Peter again. It will be his place of
healing.
Do you need Jesus to lift you from the bondage of failure that
immobilizes you—that keeps you from living an abundant life in Him? He waits for
you at your own coal fire. Your place of failure is not meant to be your defeat.
He waits to make it your place of victory. Meet him there. He just asks you if
you love Him.
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