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Praying Through The Scriptures - John 21
by Lord, I almost laugh at Peter sometimes. He seems so impetuous. Why did he rush to you through the water, Lord? Was it because you had forgiven him; or because he knew you are the Messiah; or because he knew you are the way, the truth, and the life; or because he loved you? Perhaps it was for all of those reasons. Perhaps it was because he did not know he was forgiven and desperately wanted your forgiveness. That would certainly be enough to cause me to rush to you. Lord, John recognized you because of the extraordinarily large catch of fish in the untorn net. Help me to recognize you also in the things you do every day in my life and in the lives of others. Three times you asked Peter whether he loved you. Was this because he denied you three times and you were giving Peter the opportunity to acknowledge you that he had previously let slip through his fingers? Whatever the reason, Lord, this passage tells me that when I fail you, you will give me a chance to set the record straight, even if I fail you repeatedly. Thank you, Lord, for all the second chances you have given me! Father, how easy it is for us to draw unwarranted conclusions. Help me not to read into Scripture what is not there. Help me to read what you wrote, not what I think you meant to write. Lord Jesus, I so look forward to the day I see you face-to-face. I only know now of a small fraction of the things you did on this earth, but then, I will have all eternity to discover what else you did! What an exciting time that will be! Thank you, God, for preserving this record of Jesus' activities on earth, which is part of the evidence that convinced me that Jesus Christ truly is the Messiah. In his name I pray. Amen. Copyright 2007, Star Ferdinand. All Rights Reserved. Star Ferdinand is the author of The Prayerful Bible Study Series of study guides, numerous devotionals, and other Christian writings. You can read more of her writings at starferdinand.wordpress.com. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |