Restoration

the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition:

That’s restoration.

John 21:1-19

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

21 Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias. ² Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the brothers James and John,were there, together with two other disciples. ³ Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing!”

The others said, “We will go with you.” They went out in their boat. But they didn’t catch a thing that night.

⁴ Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was. ⁵ Jesus shouted, “Friends, have you caught anything?”

“No!” they answered.

⁶ So he told them, “Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish.”

They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat.

⁷ Jesus’ favourite disciple told Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. ⁸ The boat was only about a hundred yards from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish.

⁹ When the disciples got out of the boat, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. ¹⁰ Jesus told his disciples, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” ¹¹ Simon Peter got back into the boat and dragged the net to shore. In it were one hundred fifty-three large fish, but still the net did not rip.

¹² Jesus said, “Come and eat!” But none of the disciples dared ask who he was. They knew he was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave some of it to his disciples. He did the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from death.

Jesus and Peter

¹⁵ When Jesus and his disciples had finished eating, he asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than the others do?”

Simon Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I do!”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus said.

¹⁶ Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you!”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus told him.

¹⁷ Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. So he told Jesus, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.”

Jesus replied, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ I tell you for certain that when you were a young man, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will hold out your hands. Then others will wrap your belt around you and lead you where you don’t want to go.”

¹⁹ Jesus said this to tell how Peter would die and bring honour to God. Then he said to Peter, “Follow me!”

This is one of the most beautiful moments in the whole of Jesus’ life and work.

He appears to all the disciples, reassures them again that he is alive – but then he has a special word for Peter.  Wonderful impetuous Peter.  Always the one to do or say exactly what he was thinking, never one to hold back – yet now living with the fact that when it really mattered, he had let Jesus down.  When challenged he had denied ever having known him.  Not sure what to do any more, he had gone back to his fishing, to the place he felt secure; where he knew what was what – but where Jesus had called him from.

But Jesus comes looking for him.

Peter is given the opportunity to put it all right. Jesus could have just told him that it was ok, he was forgiven, but he goes further than that, he gives Peter the chance to say something, to respond to the questions – 3 times as he denied him 3 times – to say it, to confirm his belief and his love.

Through Jesus’ love, he becomes a restored man, he is returned to who he was – but more than that equipped for what he is going to be.

Peter is given the opportunity to put things right.  Jesus gives us that opportunity too.  If there is something gnawing away at you.  Something you know you’ve got spectacularly wrong, Jesus gives you another chance.  He comes looking for you, to talk to you, where you are, to free you.  We too are invited.  Even if we had run away, gone back to what we knew, he comes to us, gently puts his arm around us, and restores us and equips us.

We need no longer be frightened, ashamed, or feeling that their is nothing left.  Jesus takes us and calls us anew,

Follow me

Thank you Lord for second chances
and third
and fourth…

Thank you that you come to us
in our shame,
our guilt,
our fear
and give us the opportunity
to make it right
to be forgiven,
to be restored,
to be invited
to continue to follow you

I came across this beautiful song

Book Review: Dancing With God by Irene Alexander from @SPCKPublishing

Ringelreihen by Franz Stuck

For some reason, people find it hard to believe that I had dancing lessons as a young girl But I did – both ballet and tap, and though I can dance no more, the love stays with me.

So, I like both the idea conjured up by dancing with God and the description of Dancing With God on the SPCK Website.

Dancing with God is a book that made me think ‘Why didn’t someone tell me this years ago’?  (Well, maybe they did and I wasn’t hearing it!)

The book focusses on finding true freedom, that we can dance with God – “learning grace, accepting brokenness and self-forgiveness”.  Whilst “becoming aware of what hinders our progress: Judgement, self-criticism, shame and seeking others approval” (from the blurb).  It does indeed do what it says on the tin.

The message is interspersed with creative retellings of bible stories.  These stand out and give a way into the insights of the book.  For me, they achieve the authors aim of getting to and opening up feelings and emotions.

Initially I thought all Irene Alexander has to say is good theory, but where are the practical ways to attain this?   But as the book went on, they unfolded – they are not so much practical ways, but ways we could encounter God more deeply – and meet the depths of his love.  It’s between you and God.

The other question that was being raised in my mind, especially in the first half of the book was, ‘What if you’re living this broken and exposed spirituality, but others aren’t?’  Does it matter that they have the potential to break you more?  But I came to the point that actually, I guess not, if that’s where you are, but it can be difficult to live amongst people you don’t trust.  It is a challenge to be the only/first one living this way.  But vulnerability is the point!

I was not so sure about some of the comments on depression, that seem to suggest it can be solved by “getting the anger out”.  They made me feel quite uncomfortable that was a simplistic understanding and solution.  Maybe others who have lived with depression may have a view on that?

For me, the main message of this book, and the difference with lots of books, is it’s not necessarily about changing ourselves; it is much more about learning to live with ourselves – shadow side and all. “embracing shadow is only way to become whole”  (p112).  Learning to live with the authentic me, not living with paradigm of evaluation.  Then we can also accept and respect others as they are.

This is a message that needs to be heard…  We don’t need to be “keeping up with the Jones” or even living up to some projected image of perfection, self-imposed or otherwise – Jesus has done away with that kind of measuring stick.  It’s no longer about what we have and haven’t done, just that we are.

The reality is: learning the steps may be easy – perfecting the dance may take a lifetime.

All in all this is an interesting and very helpful book.  Now to live it out and learn to dance with God in a way that I can’t dance in physical reality.

I’m aware I’ve very much read this through my own personal lens – but then I picked the book because I thought it might have something to say to where I’m at…

Waiting and Wondering

This passage is a story of after the event.

You know when there has been a massive build up to something – meticulous planning, great hopes, high expectation – and even when it has gone well, there is an anti-climax feeling afterwards.  What now?  That had been the focus of your life for so long.  Now what do you do?

Imagine how it must have felt for the disciples.  Things had entirely not gone to plan – and yet, somehow it was all ok – but what was happening, what now?

John 20:19-31

The Message

To Believe

^19-20 Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he showed them his hands and side.

^20-21 The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.”

^22-23 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”

^24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.”

But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.”

²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”

²⁷ Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”

²⁹ Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”

^30-31 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

They locked themselves away, worried and afraid.  And Jesus came to them.  He allowed them to touch his wounds, his pain, to do what they needed to – to be sure that he was real, that it had all happened.

What a relief it must have been, to realise that they hadn’t imagined it.  Jesus, the Jesus they knew and head learned so much from, was alive.  This is no imposter, it was no fake death – he is here, with them, bringing them faith, hope and forgiveness.

God comes to us – where we are, meets us and allows us to touch him.

Where are you today?

In a place of joy at the Risen Lord?  Or more in a place of despair, disillusionment, in a place of anti-climax, feeling abandoned and bereft?

Whichever it is, the risen Jesus comes into that place and speaks his peace.  God is here, with you.

Peace to you

And as he gives us his peace, he sends us to take his peace where we go – and the forgiveness of sins.

We are now God’s disciples here on earth, filled with his peace – and called to do his work.

Lord,
help me to believe,
in you, where you are,
what you can do.

When life is good and happy,
when it is dark
and painful
may I know your presence
and your peace.

And knowing your peace,
and receiving your forgiveness,
may I share it with others
who need it too.