2020 has
been a rough and frightening year for everyone. The dreaded COVID-19 turned our
worlds upside down. We suddenly found ourselves working in our homes, indoor
church services became online services, and masks became the norm. Fear swept
the nation and we all try to cope to the best of our abilities. Now there are
riots sweeping across the nation and fires spreading, forcing people out of
their homes. People are losing everything; their homes, their belongings, their
businesses.
It isn’t the year we expected and it only seems to be getting worse. Fear and anxiety have taken place in people’s minds and hearts. They don’t know where to turn and I found myself in the same situation.
All of my life, I have struggled with fear and anxiety, so of course I was no different. My world was changing quickly and I couldn’t do anything about it. As a mom and wife, I worried about my husband and my children. I wanted to fix it all. I wasn’t in control and I didn’t know how to handle it.
Recently, my health took a big decline. I was so sick, I couldn’t eat and what I did eat my body rejected. I found myself unable to get out of bed because I was so miserable. It was yet another thing I couldn’t fix and I found myself in a very dark place. I was scared.
But God. I found myself often falling on the floor crying out to God in desperation. He would always meet me and would give me a release from everything I was feeling and give me peace. I have come to a point where I depend on Him - I need Him to get through all of the anxiety, fear, and darkness.
This brought me to ask myself, where do the lost turn to? How do they manage?
I came across a post on Facebook where some moms were talking about how COVID-19 was affecting them. They were specifically discussing their experience at Costco. They commented how everyone was acting crazy, hoarding and fighting over products. They also commented that it was bizarre seeing everyone wearing masks, and how reality was setting in. It put them in a place where they couldn’t even go into the stores anymore. They would sit in their cars and just cry. People are scared and we have something so special and so sweet. We have the answer!
Last night, as I lay in my bed, God placed this single thought in my head. “If you love me, feed my sheep.” So today I dove into His Word. I knew it was the scripture passage where Jesus was talking with Peter, so I went there and started to study. What I found struck me cold and convicted me.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, 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.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15-19, ESV)
In verse 17, after the third time Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, we see that Peter was grieved in his heart. Why would His Lord and Savior keep asking this? Did He doubt him? God knows everything! And he so tells God so!
Jesus wanted him to remember this moment. It was important that Peter felt the impact of His words. Jesus goes on to tell Peter His will for Peter’s life- one that Peter may not want, but is asked of.
God was asking Peter to spread the good news and that this would ultimately lead him to his death; a death, while scary and hard, that would bring even more glory to God. Historically, Peter died by crucifixion, similar to His Savior.
I feel God was asking Peter to follow His example. Everything Christ did was for His Kingdom. Jesus’ ministry was always for the lost, even His own death. If you recall, in the Garden, Christ, too, didn’t want to be crucified. His flesh was weak and He asked three times that this cup may be passed from Him (Matthew 26:36-44). BUT, He always ended His prayer by saying, not my will, but your will be done. He died so that we could be saved!
So I believe that He was asking Peter to live his life as He did, by reaching the lost. Then Christ goes on to say Peter would have a death that he would not want, but his death would bring glory to God’s Kingdom. So here, I believe He was asking Peter to, again, follow His example by putting God’s Will before his own.
This passage made me reevaluate my life. Who have I reached out to? Have I become just a pew sitter, doing the minimum and skating by? God wants us to reach the lost, not just to skate through life. He gave me life, what can I do in return?
Then the song “my life is not my own, to you I belong” popped into my head. and conviction took place in my heart. Things may happen in my life that are out of my control, but I shouldn’t be trying to control everything. My life is HIS. Like Peter, God is asking that my life be given back to Him for His glory.
As Christians, we need to remember His great commission:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:29)
Our mission is to lead the lost Home. Things will happen in our lives, but God can use those things to bring glory to His Kingdom if we let it. Life alone is a beautiful gift. However, the best is yet to come. He has gone to make a place for us - a place where there is no fear, no anxiety, no pain, no loss. Just one of great joy!
It isn’t the year we expected and it only seems to be getting worse. Fear and anxiety have taken place in people’s minds and hearts. They don’t know where to turn and I found myself in the same situation.
All of my life, I have struggled with fear and anxiety, so of course I was no different. My world was changing quickly and I couldn’t do anything about it. As a mom and wife, I worried about my husband and my children. I wanted to fix it all. I wasn’t in control and I didn’t know how to handle it.
Recently, my health took a big decline. I was so sick, I couldn’t eat and what I did eat my body rejected. I found myself unable to get out of bed because I was so miserable. It was yet another thing I couldn’t fix and I found myself in a very dark place. I was scared.
But God. I found myself often falling on the floor crying out to God in desperation. He would always meet me and would give me a release from everything I was feeling and give me peace. I have come to a point where I depend on Him - I need Him to get through all of the anxiety, fear, and darkness.
This brought me to ask myself, where do the lost turn to? How do they manage?
I came across a post on Facebook where some moms were talking about how COVID-19 was affecting them. They were specifically discussing their experience at Costco. They commented how everyone was acting crazy, hoarding and fighting over products. They also commented that it was bizarre seeing everyone wearing masks, and how reality was setting in. It put them in a place where they couldn’t even go into the stores anymore. They would sit in their cars and just cry. People are scared and we have something so special and so sweet. We have the answer!
Last night, as I lay in my bed, God placed this single thought in my head. “If you love me, feed my sheep.” So today I dove into His Word. I knew it was the scripture passage where Jesus was talking with Peter, so I went there and started to study. What I found struck me cold and convicted me.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, 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.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15-19, ESV)
In verse 17, after the third time Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, we see that Peter was grieved in his heart. Why would His Lord and Savior keep asking this? Did He doubt him? God knows everything! And he so tells God so!
Jesus wanted him to remember this moment. It was important that Peter felt the impact of His words. Jesus goes on to tell Peter His will for Peter’s life- one that Peter may not want, but is asked of.
God was asking Peter to spread the good news and that this would ultimately lead him to his death; a death, while scary and hard, that would bring even more glory to God. Historically, Peter died by crucifixion, similar to His Savior.
I feel God was asking Peter to follow His example. Everything Christ did was for His Kingdom. Jesus’ ministry was always for the lost, even His own death. If you recall, in the Garden, Christ, too, didn’t want to be crucified. His flesh was weak and He asked three times that this cup may be passed from Him (Matthew 26:36-44). BUT, He always ended His prayer by saying, not my will, but your will be done. He died so that we could be saved!
So I believe that He was asking Peter to live his life as He did, by reaching the lost. Then Christ goes on to say Peter would have a death that he would not want, but his death would bring glory to God’s Kingdom. So here, I believe He was asking Peter to, again, follow His example by putting God’s Will before his own.
This passage made me reevaluate my life. Who have I reached out to? Have I become just a pew sitter, doing the minimum and skating by? God wants us to reach the lost, not just to skate through life. He gave me life, what can I do in return?
Then the song “my life is not my own, to you I belong” popped into my head. and conviction took place in my heart. Things may happen in my life that are out of my control, but I shouldn’t be trying to control everything. My life is HIS. Like Peter, God is asking that my life be given back to Him for His glory.
As Christians, we need to remember His great commission:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:29)
Our mission is to lead the lost Home. Things will happen in our lives, but God can use those things to bring glory to His Kingdom if we let it. Life alone is a beautiful gift. However, the best is yet to come. He has gone to make a place for us - a place where there is no fear, no anxiety, no pain, no loss. Just one of great joy!
- Written By : Faith Richardson
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