WATCHWORD:
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” John 21:15-19
Meditation:
Payday or Taxday?
We each know the different feelings on those two separate times during the course of our lives. Those days where everything is going right, where we feel like we’re being rewarded, within the power of the Lord and we feel his presence in all that we do. And then there are those days when it seems it’s time to pay the piper. Now you are struggling through a grey day, dealing with adversity, and it feels as if you are paying some kind of penalty, a tax of sorts.
Tax Day is very much like Jesus asking us: Do you love me? And we think our answer is yes, Lord, you know I love you. Sometimes His answer is “Why don’t you trust me?” “Why don’t you follow my commands?” Sometimes He puzzles us with “Feed My sheep”.
Questions pop-up: who are God‘s sheep? How am I supposed to do that? What do I use for feed? All legitimate questions but, if we’re paying attention, He has told us all the answers. We already know that you and I, and all the others, are Gods sheep, and anyone you encountered during the course of living your lives are all part of the same flock. How do I feed them? That’s simple as well, you feed them by being a follower of Jesus and by showing that He is the way, and the truth, and the life in your life. When we do that, we will find that with Christ, taxday is payday.
Peter eventually got it right and went on to be a light to the world. The same could be said for Paul, John and many others that we could call to mind. Each one decided and in the following of Jesus, they were transformed into apostles, into disciples, into the people that we know are true leaders, are true Christians, are true models of the Way, the Truth and the Life; three elements supporting the simple command “Love others as I have loved you.” Love is the way, the truth, and the life in Christ. Amen.
Stan
Prayer:
Precious Jesus, as in every element of my life Lord I need Your guidance. In my heart I seek to follow You, to love You, to feed the flock that I am part of, I cannot do that unless You hold my hand and lead me in all that I do. It’s in Jesus’ name I offer this prayer. Amen.
