John 21

Read John Chapter 21 :: Here

Devotional ::

20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

John 21:20–22 ESV

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You made it!  21 days (perhaps some of the longest of your life) of prayer and fasting. I’m sure some days were better than others. Maybe each day didn’t always go according to plan, but hopefully you’re feeling closer to God than you ever have before. In the end, whether you did everything perfectly or not, God makes us an awesome promise in James 4:8 - draw close to Him and He will draw close to you! 

The fast ends tomorrow and you might be asking yourself, “Now What?? Where do I go from here? How do I keep things up?”  Or maybe you didn’t get all you were hoping for out of this three week season, and now you’re wondering how you should proceed. 

In the final chapter of John, Peter is also full of questions. He’s coming off what can only be described as the emotional rollercoaster of all rollercoasters. He’s forsaken Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. He’s denied Jesus three times. He witnessed the crucifixion firsthand and grieved the loss of his friend, rabbi, and Lord. He felt the elation of the news of the empty tomb. After walking with a resurrected Christ for weeks, now in chapter 21, we see Jesus so graciously invite Peter fully back into fellowship by challenging him to feed his sheep. He’s so eager to show Jesus love, and to try and redeem himself, that he adamantly accepts the charge. What a powerful, life-altering moment. And what does he do after receiving his life’s calling from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself? The exact thing that I’d encourage us not to do: worry about someone else!

Jesus lays it out so simply for Peter. Don’t worry about John, or anyone else for that matter. “Follow me!” Hopefully that is one takeaway that we can all share from the last 21 days. There is no one more important than Jesus. Our chief aim is to know Him more and more each day. We must be concerned with that simple command – Follow Him!

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Reflect ::

•Comparison and preoccupation with others is its own mini-epidemic in our culture. What are some ways you’ve fallen into that trap and how can you strategically keep it at bay?

•You’ve fasted for 21 days. In some way or another, life has looked a little or very different the last several weeks. What are some new routines, additions, or subtractions that you might choose to adopt long-term?  

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Prayer ::

Jesus, I choose to follow you. Not just today but for my entire life. Help me keep my eyes on you when there’s so many distractions around me. Give me eyes for you. 

{In your own words, take a few minutes to express thanks for the last several weeks.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you continue on your journey.}

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Action ::

Continue to read, pray, and dig into more of God. The fast might be over tomorrow, but make a plan on how you’ll continue to walk closely with the Lord. Write it down! Put it on your calendar! Prioritize Jesus over everything.