I wasn’t at the Sea of Galilee.

 

 

I wasn’t there so I couldn’t see the frustration

On the bearing of the seven disciples’ concentration.

It was a long night fishing so fruitlessly

On the Sea of Galilee where, previously,

They had laboured so successfully.

 A voice floated over the waters with a command

“Throw your net on the other side” was its demand.

This they did, perhaps ruefully

Only to discover, in humility,

                                            They’d netted one hundred and fifty three.

 Impetuous Peter, jumped overboard, rushed ashore

To greet the risen Lord and maybe implore

The Lord to ignore those hasty words

Peter had spoken in denial of his Lord,

Who was under arrest to face Roman Law.

 I wasn’t there to listen in, but this I understand

Jesus confronted Peter so as the restore the man

With bitter, deep regrets for stumbling

And saying around the fire’s glowing

This Jesus, he wasn’t following.

 No recrimination from Jesus’s lips did sound

When asking Peter “Do you love me more than these?”

What ‘these were’ we can debate

But Peter’s heart, an open ‘gate’

Confessed “You know I love you!”

 What Jesus did for Peter, with mercy and restoration,

He will do for you, an act of renovation,

Removing denial’s devastation

Replaced by love’s consecration.

The ‘key’, Lord, I love you!

 

 ©Ray Hawkins April 2019.