One More Time

I was reflecting on my relationship with my own father as I was growing up. He was a quiet, caring man. He didn’t talk much — didn’t have to — because my mother did all the talking. Yet, whenever he spoke, I knew I needed to listen. He shared his words of wisdom with me during my adolescence, but I tended to blow him off. I never hugged him, held him, enfolded him in my arms. Then he suddenly died. Filled with remorse and regret, I wished I could somehow go back and live my life again. I wished that this time I could do it right.

We might not be aware of it, but the Lord sometimes gives us the opportunity to “return to the scene”. Let’s say that, in your own life, there was a dreadful moment when you made the wrong choice. You embarrassed yourself by betraying your own highest principles. Ever since that terrible moment, you were longing for a “re-do”.

Then, sometime later, another situation presented itself which reminded you of the first debacle. You recognized what was happening. You had a luminous opportunity to do it very differently, to respond in another way. You were afforded the chance to redeem yourself. For the Lord was giving you a second chance. He was waiting and watching to see how — this time — you would respond.

That’s what happened to Simon Peter on the night of the Last Supper. Jesus warned him, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

But Simon Peter replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Simon Peter lied to Jesus and himself. Jesus told him that before the night was over, before the rooster would crow at daybreak, Simon would deny ever knowing Jesus. And he would deny him not once but three times.

After Jesus was arrested by his adversaries, Simon Peter trailed him at a distance and waited in the courtyard of the high priest to see the outcome of Jesus’ hearing. It was cold, so he stood beside a fire of burning coals to warm himself. Three times he was accused of being one of Jesus’ followers and three times he vehemently denied it. Suddenly at daybreak, the rooster crowed and Peter remembered Jesus’ words. Simon Peter had let his friend down. He went out from the courtyard and wept bitterly.

Days later, at daybreak, a Stranger met the disciples on the beach at the Sea of Galilee. Having been summoned to become “fishers of men”, they had returned to being fishers of fish. But right there the Risen Christ met them, made breakfast for them over a fire of burning coals and then addressed Simon Peter who had so ignobly let Him down, “Simon, do you love me? Then feed my sheep.”

Do you see what’s happening? The Risen Christ was offering him a re-do, a second chance, and opportunity for a do-over. Here was a chastened disciple standing, once again, beside a fire of burning coals. Jesus had provided the setting. Jesus had set him up, giving him a chance to redeem himself.

Maybe you — like me — have messed up in your life. Perhaps you did or said something you wished you hadn’t. You can’t change what happened in the past. But you have a new opportunity, a second chance.

One more time you have the chance to prove yourself to Him.