This is a guided meditation on the passage, and it’s meant to be Part 2 of my last blog. Please read the passage over twice, slowly, and on the second reading put yourself into the story in some way. As you read my comments, based on Peter’s experience, I hope these thoughts will resonate with your soul too. There are a lot of questions here; take your time and don’t rush through them.
As I read this passage, right away I notice that Jesus calls him Simon, not Peter. The old him. Has Jesus given you a new name but you’ve reverted back to the old one? Was your name “shame” but He renamed you “free”? Was your old name “dirty” but He renamed you “clean”? What was your old name, and what is your new name?
Jesus asks Peter twice, “Do you truly love Me…?” In the Greek the word Jesus uses means sacrificial, heart-mind-soul-strength kind of love. He uses this word the first two times. But Peter doesn’t use that word. He uses the word for emotional love. Peter uses this all 3 times he answers, and Jesus uses it the last time He asks. Do you picture Jesus asking you if you love Him? Do you love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength? Is there anything or anyone you love more? Maybe Jesus isn’t saying, “do you actually love Me more than the other guys love Me”, which is the way it looks on the surface. At one time, Peter had boasted that he loved Jesus more than anyone else.
What are “these”? More than you love these other people? More than they love Me? More than you love these things: the huge number of fish that represents wealth; the boat, your old life, your comfort zone? Ponder the question, “What are ‘these’?” As you hear Jesus ask, allow the people you love to pass by in your mind’s eye; then the things you treasure; and the things you value for or about yourself: your reputation, skills, “name”, talents, gifts, strengths. Do you want to be at the place where you can truly say “Lord, You know I truly love You more than any of these”?
And then He whispers, “Feed My lambs”. The young ones, the small ones, new in the faith. Different from the next directive, “Take care of My sheep”. Those are the older ones, more mature, who don’t need feeding as much as they need tending. What does the command FEED mean for you? Who are the lambs?
“Feed”. Jesus fed Peter first but Peter has to come to Jesus for the food to feed others. Young believers. Lambs. Does He ask a second time because you are in danger of loving that ministry more than you love Him? And this time He says, “take care of My sheep”. The older ones. What does that mean, “Take care”? Feeding, guiding, protecting. Who does this? A Shepherd. The last time Jesus asks, “Do you love Me?”, is it possible He’s asking, “Do you love Me enough to feed My sheep?” Why instructions to feed only after taking care of them? Is it so they trust you? Who are the sheep?
Is this your 2nd calling? Like Peter, it is different now and you must follow Him to learn. Not just go the old way anymore. Oswald Chambers pointed out that many “come” at His call but then go back. You are to “come” and follow; not go back.
In his final reply to Jesus, Peter seems upset. Lord, You know all things; You know I love You!” Is Peter saying that he is no longer going to trust what he thinks he knows, because he did that once and then caved? Only the Lord knows his heart. Peter is no longer confident in his affirmations. He only knows for certain that he feels a brotherly affection for Jesus. Then Jesus says, “Follow Me”. The Amplified Version expands it; “walk the same path of life I have walked”.
Jesus shows Peter that He does know more about Peter’s heart, his life and his future. V18 “When you were young you got yourself dressed and went where you want.” How do you get yourself ‘dressed’? What does that represent? When I worked for YFC I did what I wanted. I was the leader, I made decisions about what I would do and I did those things. Jesus goes on to say, “When you are older, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” What does “stretch out your hands” represent? How about “someone else will dress you”? (think metaphorically). What does “lead you” represent? You’re not the leader, you will be under someone else’s authority. Where do you go? What do you do? Someone else will tell you – and you won’t want to do it. It won’t be where you would choose to go.
My NIV heading is “reinstatement” but this is different, isn’t it? Recommissioned, repurposed. You have heard Jesus say, “Feed My lambs” and “take care of My sheep” and have accepted your call to follow Him. Now what? In the meantime? If all you know so far is that it’s going to be different, what are you going to do next? Oswald Chambers also talked about letting go of my purposes to be brought into His purposes. What is it you are clutching?
Jesus told Peter up front that he wasn’t going to be leading and dressing himself. Not deciding for himself. My first thought was, “and I’m not going to like it”. But actually, that’s not what it says. It says it won’t be where you want to go, which is different. Did you assume that means you won’t like it? How does that make you feel? How do you move forward despite this fear? Just like the way you do anything physically hard. Don’t look down. Don’t look back to where you’ve been. Keep going, push yourself. DO IT AFRAID.
In Exodus 13:17, God led His people out of Egypt on the longer route, because they weren’t ready. So too you are not ready yet to face the battles and challenges ahead. You need to be better prepared. How? What is God saying? Are you holding on to your preferred outcome/future? Ask God what you need to do to prepare.
A final thought:
“What is that to you?” Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost for His Highest reading dated November 15, talks about being an amateur providence in someone else’s life and putting your hand in front of what God is doing because you don’t want to see them suffer. It’s like Jesus said to Peter, “What is that to you?” Have you been interfering in the life of another – proposing things you had no right to propose, advising when you had no right to advise? Chambers says, “When you have to give advice to another person, God will advise through you with the direct understanding of His Spirit.”
What is Jesus asking you today? “Do you love Me more than these?” Do you love Me sacrificially, unconditionally, with a willingness to follow wherever I may lead?
What is your response to the Lord?
Christian Contemplative Journey 
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