Warriors Arise: October 9, 2020
John 21:15-16a (NKJV) So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
I don't know about you, but I do not liked to be asked the same question a second time. If I gave you a legitimate answer, then why are you asking me the same exact question. I am not going to change my answer or is it that you didn't listen the first time.
Early in our marriage, like within the first three years, Scott and I had a communication problem and the problem, in this case it was me. I would come home from work and ask him a question, just before he started to answer I would step into the bedroom to change out of my work clothes. Somehow I thought that I would still be able to hear him. I would come back into the room where he was and sometimes I would take ownership for my lack of communication and say, "I am sorry, I didn't hear your response, because I went to change. Will you tell me again?" Other times, when I wasn't quite so honest, taking ownership of my communication problem, I would say, "I didn't hear you. You didn't speak loud enough. What did you say?" Terrible, I know. I had to learn to be a responsible communicator by learning to listen, especially when I was the one who asked the question.
Jesus asked Simon a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter is probably still trying to figure out the last thing Jesus said, "Feed My lambs." What does that mean? Remember, Peter is a doer. He is trying to figure out how to accomplish what the Lord has told him he is to do, "Feed My lambs." But then Jesus asks a question Simon has already answered. How come we went back to square one? I thought I answered that.
You know the hurtful joke of the woman who wants her husband to tell her he loves her and his response, "I told you once and I haven't changed my mind." Ouch, doesn't even begin to express how hurtful that response was. Jesus asked Simon to answer the same question.
If God asked me the same question back-to-back, I am not sure how I would respond. Maybe He is giving me the opportunity to respond differently. Or maybe I answered the first time without really thinking about it and this time He wants to make sure my mind and my heart are engaged in the answer. We have all given a response without thinking, our minds and hearts were not even consulted when we gave the answer.
Simon, "I don't want you to just respond. I want to know you have engaged your mind. Do you love me? I want to know how deep your passion runs. What does your heart say Do you love me?"
We can all trick ourselves into thinking, if the Lord spoke to me I would totally listen to what He was saying. But if I haven't practiced being a good communicator with God then I will miss out when He speaks to me.
When the Lord speaks do you engage your mind? Do you speak from the heart when you respond?
Father, I know You speak to me. I know You desire to have clear, understood, and fully committed communications between you and I. I pray for my ears to be open to hear You. I pray for my mind to comprehend what You are saying. I pray for my heart to be responsive to what You ask. I ask for You to come and open communications to Your people. I ask for ears to be open to hear You. I ask for each person to have their mind engaged to comprehend what you are saying. I ask for each person to seek from their heart and receive with their heart all that You are saying. I pray each person will desire to hear from You and to follow all You have placed in front of them to do. Thank you for not giving up on us. Thank you for continuing to speak to us and to help us understand Your ways. Thank you for Your Son, Jesus Christ whose love abounds toward us. I ask for each person to receive Your love in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy
My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.
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