IT’S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT US

DAY 145

Reference text: John 21:15-19

Whenever God deals with us on any matter, whether through rebuke, chastening or correction, it is for our profiting. It is for our sake, not His sake. Let’s go on a journey through today’s Gospel.

The text is the account of a dialogue  between Jesus and Peter. We would notice Peter gets offended when Jesus asked Him on three separate occasions: ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? At the third time of asking, Peter almost goes up in arms not understanding what Jesus was up to. He reckoned answering ‘Yes Lord, you know that I love you’ on two occasions was sufficient.

If we understand anything about the dealings of God with his children, we would appreciate that this was never really about Jesus doubting Peter’s love. Because as Peter himself reasoned ‘, Lord you know everything, you know that I love’. And surely, Jesus knew this was true.

However, having denied Jesus three times, this was an opportunity for Peter to become convinced himself that He still had love for Jesus. It was an opportunity Jesus used to remind Peter that he still had a place in his plan. In effect, it was Peter whose conviction needed affirmation, not Jesus. Likewise, in many things, it’s never really about what is in it for God, it has always been about us.

#sly