Day 25: Recognition

5th Wednesday in Lent

Scripture: John 21:7-8

^{NRS 7} That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. ⁸ But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

Devotional: The net sagged full of fish. The disciples tried but failed to haul it aboard. It was in this little moment of failure that the beloved disciple, John, recognized the figure on the beach. He was present the first time they had a net this full. It was at the command of Christ. As they struggled with this second catch from an identical command, he knew the one issuing the command was Jesus. John and Peter were companions on this journey from the very beginning. They were together when Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah. They both heard the Father command them on the mountain top, “This is my Son, listen to Him!” They shared the Passover meal. They both slept in the garden and followed Jesus to the high priest’s courtyard. Having heard Mary’s report that the body was stolen, they raced each other to the empty tomb. The body was gone and they each returned home. In this fishing boat was the next time they were mentioned together by name, but they don’t share in the blindness brought about by failure. John, not Peter, recognized their Master and called out, “It is the Lord!” Trusting his friend, Simon Peter put on some clothes and jumped into the sea. The text doesn’t reveal Peter recognizing Jesus. It simply records that he heard and acted. It appeared he wanted to believe that it could be the Lord, but needed personal confirmation before he fully got his hopes up. Fully dressed he began to swim for shore. The disciples set out in the boat, but they were dragging the net full of fish, so Peter won this hundred yard dash. So here is our scene, a figure presumed to be Jesus on the beach, the disciples in the boat dragging the net and Peter swimming towards the shore fully clothed. It sounds kind of comical, but we can still relate. Who hasn’t had those moments when we get a glimpse of hope, but are scared to believe it is true until we can confirm it with our own eyes. Whether it is Peter’s despair or our own, we all want hope. Peter’s despair was so great that for hope to be restored it required the certainty only found by personally seeing and touching Jesus. The good news is that we too can find the sure and certain hope that is Christ alone.

Prayer: God of the sea and God of the shore. The One who calls to us in our despair and gives us signs of hope onto which we can grasp. We rush to You seeking certainty. Lord, place in our hearts a sense of assurance and certainty that we have futures filled with hope in You.  May our sense of despair be vanquished so our lives can be marked by Your joy. We pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Song of praise:      In Christ Alone performed by Margaret Becker, 

                                             Marie Brennan and Joanne Hogg

                                               

Spiritual discipline challenge: Today we meditate. In today’s devotional time, spend some quiet time looking and listening for Christ on the shore of whatever is troubling you in life. Prepare your heart to swim to Him and receive His hope.