Thursday, April 21, 2022
Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:2-3
Never Going Back
This week we have heard the story of Peter denying Jesus 3 times. Then he locked eyes with Jesus, realized his sin, and then Jesus was taken away to be crucified.
We have all had those moments when we locked eyes with Jesus, and we realized our sin. It may have not been literally like Peter’s experience, but we know the burn of the Savior’s eyes on our heart and soul. He knows all things - and that means everything we do. There is no place to hide in our sin. We may think we are hiding but we are only hiding from ourselves and the truth. Jesus sees us all the time. we run from one idol to another and eventually we have no more idols to hide behind. At that moment we feel His eyes on our soul, we realize our sin.
After Jesus was crucified, Peter was probably feeling very lost. He likely felt that everything he was passionate about, everything that he had poured his life into since he had met Jesus and become a fisher of men was destroyed now by his sin. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt like you have sinned so bad that your life is destroyed? Peter decided he was going back to being a fisherman – of fish. He told some of the other disciples he was going fishing and they went with him.
Peter went back to what he was before Jesus called him to a new life and a new purpose. He went back to what he thought was all he had at that point. He had ruined his purpose, his calling, and his relationship with Jesus, so he went back to what he knew and what he was comfortable with and what he knew. Sometimes we do the same thing when we think we have ruined everything. We go back, and when we go back, we usually go back-wards. When we go back to what we were before we met Jesus, it might be comfortable, but you will most likely not be held accountable.
Peter and the disciples fished all night, only to catch nothing. A helpful stranger on the beach called out to them and told them to throw the net over to the other side of the boat. They almost caught more fish than they could get in the boat, and John immediately knew it was Jesus. When John said it was Jesus, Peter put on his coat and jumped into the water.
That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. John 21:7
Peter put on everything he had with him and jumped into the sea! He was so excited and happy that it was Jesus that he was not even going to wait to get to shore in the boat. He took everything he had and went. He did have a heart to heart with Jesus and his relationship and ministry were restored.
I love the symbolism here. Peter grabbed everything and jumped into the sea. To me, it was as if he was saying that he was going back to Jesus for good. He was not going back to the place he was before, so he took everything with him. He was never going back.
If you feel like you have ruined your life so badly that the only choice you have is to go backwards, let me tell you that is not the case. Jesus know our weaknesses and He loves us right through them. Even if we leave His side, He never leaves us, and He always wants to restore His relationship with us. He always waits for us to come back and welcomes us with open arms just like He did Peter.
