"As long as Peter believed it all depended on him, then Jesus couldn’t use him."

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book, Never Too Far (p. 88). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

And that is true of us too.

Louie says, "Peter needed to depend on Jesus first.

"Here’s this same truth taught earlier in John’s gospel. Jesus said, 'Apart from me you can do nothing. . . . If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.' (15:5–7)"

Louie goes on, "Peter had forgotten that. But Jesus was teaching this truth to Peter all over again, saying, 'You went out and did your thing, but that didn’t work. Yet if you follow me and my ways and put the net where I say, then look—the net is full of fish.'

"When the disciples landed on shore, they saw a fire with fish on it and some bread. Don’t you just love a campfire on a beach? It’s in this environment of gentle wood smoke and crackling warmth and relaxed vibrancy that Jesus began to speak to Peter. And what Jesus didn’t say was just as important as what he did. Jesus didn’t chew out Peter for denying him in the high priest’s courtyard. Jesus didn’t rebuke Peter for failing him. Jesus simply invited Peter to breakfast."

He continues, "Whenever we’ve had a long night of nothing, that’s what Jesus does for us too. There’s no lecture. No condemnation. No rebuke. Just acceptance. And provision. 'Anybody hungry?' Jesus asks. 'Let’s eat.'

"That, my friends, is mercy and grace on display. Jesus feeds us after we’ve let ourselves and him down. Jesus welcomes us near and says, 'Hello, you look tired and beat down and like you’re about to go under. Would you like some breakfast?'

"And then Jesus served his disciples. He served them like he serves us."

Louie then says, "Can I tell you what this is all about? It’s about the disciples and you and me losing this idea that we are going to do anything for God. It’s about our receiving the idea that God does everything for us and through us.

"After a long night of nothing, after we fail him, this is the sum total of what we will hear from him: 'Come, sit down and eat with me. Have fellowship with me. Let me feed you what you need for this day to come. I am the breakfast for you because I am life and strength for you. I’m grace for you, power for you, mercy for you. I’m everything you need. I’m here, and I have it all prepared. Would you like some breakfast?'"

Maybe that is what you need. Maybe you feel that you have failed Him too. So would you like some breakfast?

Yes, yes!

Comments

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