JOHN 21:3 – Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
THEME OF THE DAY. LETTING GO THE ANCHOR OF FAILURE. There is a lot in today’s scripture that requires some background. The disciples have just encountered the risen Lord, and though they were glad to see Him, something lingered in their minds. It was the denial of the Lord that just happened and was fresh in their minds. And it wasn’t just Peter who was guilty, Mark writes – And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same (Mark 14:27-31). Imagine what was racing through the minds of the disciples. Things like, “Failure. We are nothing but cowards and failed Him. Now He is right before us. How could we have done such a thing?” And there were more flaming darts of accusation from the evil one and the heavy anchor of failure was dragging them down into the deep seas of discouragement, even despair. How do we know? Today’s scripture . . .
Peter, as always, is leading the pack. He, above all of the others, would have the heaviest anchor of failure pulling on him. What does he do? He said, “I am going fishing.” Oh, nothing wrong with a little recreation by way of fishing. Very relaxing and fun, but not this trip. Remember Peter’s previous occupation before the Lord called him to fish for men? A commercial fisherman and a good one, but he gave that up to follow Jesus until now . . .
Why does Peter say, “I am going fishing”? Failure. He is saying, “I failed the Lord miserably. I denied Him. I hurt Him. I didn’t do what He called me to do. Yes, I failed and cannot do what He wants of me, but I know one thing I am good at – fishing for real fish.” So, off he goes; back to the known, back to what was comfortable; back to what he could do in the strength of the flesh and self. But what happens? They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing (John 21:3b). Peter? You cannot go back. Yes, you failed the Lord. Yes, you denied Him, but your failure doesn’t define you or change God’s calling to you. There is no going back. It was true of Peter and the disciples. It is equally true of us. We move ahead with lessons learned from the failure not to be repeated or regretted over. We don’t turn away from the Lord and His purposes He has for us.
Failure is something real in all of us. And it won’t go away. However, failure does not define us. It doesn’t have to be an anchor dragging our hearts down. It, like all things, may be used by the Lord to actually grow us in the Lord. Remember this when the inevitable failure comes in our lives.
PRAYER: “Father, thank You that I am not identified in Your eyes by my many failings, but by my union in Your Son.”
QUOTE: “Don’t listen to the devil and your conscience who want to condemn you for your failures. God doesn’t.”