Midweek Devotion 7 May 2025

Reading

John 21:7

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

Devotion

Today's painting is an oil on linen creation by modern artist, David Koch.  More about him and his work may be found here: Bio | David Koch Artist.  I love the way the artist captures the morning light.  We're looking east from the shore of the Sea of Tiberias, aka the Sea of Galilee, toward the Golan Heights.  If you remember earlier in John's Gospel the feeding of the five thousand via a miracle worked with five loaves and two fish occurred here.  Jesus has fixed a breakfast visible in the foreground.  I am also taken by the stark grittiness of the beach along with the seemingly struggling plant life.  

By far the most interesting aspect of the story in John's Gospel portrayed in the painting however is Peter.  Peter was naked when working on the ship.  When he hears that the Lord is near, he puts on his clothes and jumps in the water.  It reminds me of the Garden of Eden in Chapter four of Genesis.  Adam and Eve hear the Lord is near and hide themselves and are later clothed.  Peter clothes himself, plunges into the water, hiding himself, and then emerges striding toward the Lord.  The motif of Baptism comes readily to mind, especially as Peter, the previous three-time denier of the knowledge of the Lord affirms three times his love of the Lord and experiences restoration.  That a sacred meal is also portrayed brings to mind the experience of Jesus in the Eucharist, Holy Communion whereby He is made known by the breaking of the bread in the midst of sacred story.

I wonder where I am or perhaps you, dear reader, are in your own spiritual journey?  To what extent do we hide aspects of ourselves from God?  What needs to be cleansed?  Are we moving purposefully toward Jesus?  What questions will he ask us to restore us to a sacred relationship?  What questions might we have of Him?  I pray your experiences this week provide you good questions to explore!

Prayer 

Lord, save us from ourselves.

We continue to do the same things over and over,

expecting different results.

Lord, save us from doing too much.

We go fishing every day,

not noticing you waiting with a meal on the beach. 

Lord, save us from doing too little.

We say we love you,

and yet so often we neglect your sheep.

Lord, save us from ourselves.

Help us to hear and respond when you say, "Follow Me."

~ written by Rev. Nathan Decker.