tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30458926.post4109945062030508989..comments2024-03-06T01:00:34.570-05:00Comments on Whatever He Says: Theory and FactBelindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09251920708783268740noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30458926.post-87538768632692734742008-09-26T19:28:00.000-04:002008-09-26T19:28:00.000-04:00Oh, Marilyn,Thank you for the encouragement, on ma...Oh, Marilyn,<BR/>Thank you for the encouragement, on many fronts. I might have thrown the baby out with the lake water. :)<BR/><BR/>Amen to all that you wrote so passionately and rightly and beautifully. You expanded and enlarged John 21 for me. Thank you for that too.Belindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09251920708783268740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30458926.post-60412059627902175322008-09-26T11:26:00.000-04:002008-09-26T11:26:00.000-04:00Okay, you've forced me out of my withdrawal from r...Okay, you've forced me out of my withdrawal from responding, dear friend! I'm sorry to hear the early days of this week have been heavy for you. :-( <BR/>I was going to respond to your "Passionate Emotion" post, elected to remain silent and now I'll go ahead.<BR/><BR/>First, thank you for a trip to John 21, a deeply moving study in restoration! Perfect timing for me. You wrote beautfully about it, too. I enjoyed it.<BR/><BR/>This passage is meaningful for me. In John 21, Jesus essentially issues the same call to Peter that he did back in Matthew 4. It's not in precisely the same words, but both times, he's engaging Peter and inviting him to get on board.<BR/><BR/>Not to oversimplify, but in the interest of brevity....three years have passed since Jesus first invited Peter to commit to Him. If Peter opts IN, it isn't in ignorance now. So it isn't just "Will you follow me?" but "Will you follow me NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT"S INVOLVED?" And that's a little different.<BR/><BR/>Now that Peter knows what he might face...Now that Peter sees his own shortcomings...In the face of his failings that he can't forget about, is he still willing to press on and follow?<BR/><BR/>NOTHING that Peter did or didn't do changed Jesus' availability for the relationship, but did it change Peter's availability? That's the question.<BR/><BR/>You, Peter, have had a taste of walking on water. Are you going to distance yourself from that power now, just because you're feeling bad about yourself?<BR/><BR/>How fortunate we are, how blessed, how fortunate...to have a God who will let us wander the beach, musing about our shortcomings and failings only so long, before coming to give us a wake-up call.<BR/><BR/>Another ramble. Sorry. I'm WILD about this passage and loved both posts about it. Keep writing!Marilynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17009834524049841674noreply@blogger.com