John 21:15-19

John 21:15-19
English Standard Version (ESV)

  How tender is the love of God! 
  Peter denies Jesus three times, and here, on the shores of the lake after breakfast, Jesus takes Peter aside and offers him three opportunities, one for each denial, for Peter to affirm his love of Jesus.  What's beautiful is that Peter doesn't quite realize what Jesus is doing, for Peter seems to become a little offended, but Jesus is peeling back the sin and shame and offering Peter a way forward, from denial into affirmation, from darkness into light, from death into life, from despair into hope.  Jesus is making a way forward.
  I can clearly say that I often do not understand what God is doing in my life.  At times, it seems rather ominous -- often because I forget that death is no longer an obstacle, rather a defeated enemy to step over on my way from life to eternal life.  Sometimes, God is at work redeeming previous sins on my part and I don't see it for that -- rather, I get caught up in the moment, forgetting the big picture.
  God has redeemed you, and has plans to use you as part of the plan to build the Kingdom of God.  Though there may be things in your life going on that you don't understand, don't for a minute doubt that God is at work in your life, calling you forward, and that your scope is now eternal -- even when everything doesn't get resolved in this life, there is still another life to come, one with no end that dwells forever in the Kingdom of light.