Remember, we were created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power. If you get stressed because you got off schedule, or got upset because your child wouldn't eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, what you're doing is giving away your power. Instead, make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so you live in peace and move forward in the power and victory the Lord has for you!

Friday in the Seventh Week of Easter

Acts 25:13b-21

Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab

J ohn 21:15-19 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." (16) A second time he said to him, "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." (17) 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. (18) Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (19) (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me."

Meditation by Carol Zuegner

“Follow me.”

A simple command. Not a command, really. An entreaty, a beckoning. Come this way.

We hear it often. The advertisers say it: Follow me to a good deal. The patient teacher uses her outdoor voice to corral a wiggly gaggle of third-graders on their way in from recess. The tour guide encourages a foot-sore group to experience yet another historic site. 

It seems pretty simple to be a follower.  We let someone else lead the way. But it’s not so simple when it is Jesus beckoning us to follow him.  When Jesus says, “Follow me” to Simon Peter and the apostles and to us, it means more. It means everything.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks Simon Peter three times if he loves him. At the last time, Peter says: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” 

When Jesus says follow me, he starts with love, a love that can help us find our way. The journey won’t be easy for the apostles like Simon Peter. Jesus asks Peter to tend his sheep and feed his lambs. Jesus says the way won’t be easy. We also must tend to his sheep and feed his lambs. When we follow Jesus, we have to follow with our hearts, our souls, our minds. We have to expect roadblocks, setbacks, detours. When we follow with love, we can climb over the roadblocks, recover from the setbacks and maneuver the most winding detour.

I am ready to follow. As I continue my journey, I echo today’s psalm: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name.”

Supplementary Reading

The Position of Power

Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense - Proverbs 19:11

E very day, we have opportunities to get upset, be frustrated, or get offended. Maybe you had plans that didn't work out, or someone was rude to you at the office. Maybe you were doing something that should have taken one hour, and it ended up taking three. Life is full of inconveniences; but even though we can't always control our circumstances, we can control our reactions to those circumstances. I heard somebody say, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond."

We should always go out each day with a positive attitude, full of hope and expecting God's favor. But at the same time, we should recognize that most days are not going to go exactly as we planned. Remember, we were created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power. If you get stressed because you got off schedule, or got upset because your child wouldn't eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, what you're doing is giving away your power. Instead, make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so you live in peace and move forward in the power and victory the Lord has for you!

Father in heaven, today I release every care, concern, offense and disappointment to You. I choose to keep the peace that You have given me knowing that with You my best days are ahead! In Jesus' Name. Amen.—Joel and Victoria Osteen

For archive of previous Daily Meditation postings, please visit http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com/

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GOD BLESS US ALL!
O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.