Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
June 10, 2024
John 21:15-17
15 When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Jesus asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 He asked a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was sad that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” He replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Good Morning! We are saved by grace!
Forgiveness of one another is difficult. We know the words to say and the actions to take to forgive one who has wronged us. The difficulty comes in truly letting go of the wrong. Instead of letting it go, we often bury it, and then it emerges from our depths when another wrong is committed. With Christ, our slate is wiped clean.
The other side of forgiveness is accepting and believing that we are forgiven. It’s as if we spend days, even years, waiting for the other shoe to drop. When Jesus shows Simon that he is forgiven, he gives him time to process his forgiveness in the litany that represents the three times that Peter denied him.
This litany is not necessary for Christ, but for Peter so that he can accept what Christ is offering and truly believe. The Good News is that Christ doesn’t keep a tally board to record our sins, and if we reach a certain number, we’re out. With each admittance and forgiveness of sin, the slate is cleaned.
As we move toward walking like Christ, the desire to sin lessens, but evil is always lurking and waiting to pull us in. We are forgiven by the grace of God in Christ.
Nurturing God, Thank you for this beautiful gift of life. We are sinners! We don’t like talking about it, but it is the big elephant in the room. Thank you for your grace that we might be freed from our sinful ways. We thank you! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: God’s grace makes it possible for us to find healing.
God’s marvelous grace allows us to heal! Pastor Liz
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