Back To The Beginning

I am currently reading a book by Dr. Patricia Bailey called Step Into Divine Destiny. She made a statement that sometimes in our maturing in God, we must go back to the beginning and it initiated a lot of thought...

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
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21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
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21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

This great disciple was found by Jesus after he had denied him three times. Simon, Peter at the time of the denial, fishing. Many times when we disappoint ourselves or our God, we want to run from God. We want to return to our former lifestyle before Jesus called us. Before we knew what ministry meant. Before we knew the pressures of leadership. When we served God simply because we loved Him. Because we were in those "honeymoon" stages of just simply being in love with Jesus. We weren't worried about who was watching us. We weren't worried about if we "got it just right." We just LOVED Jesus.

When Jesus found Peter, He addressed Him as "Simon." The name he was called when Jesus first met him and called him to be a disciple. He wasn't "Peter" then. Jesus met Him and brought him back to the beginning. I believe that what God was saying in these passages was, "Peter, I know you denied me. You failed Me and you failed yourself. Get back up. Let's start over. I'm calling you to "feed my sheep" yet again. I'm calling you to be a fisher of men. You can't erase what you already know about Me. But you can clear the "junk" out of your mind. You can push past what you did and what you think you are and see yourself as the "rock" I called you to be. Just simply serve and love Me."

We are never the same after an encounter with God. He is a God of second chances. His mercies are new every morning. His compassions fail not. (Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.)

I was listening to a song by Fred Hammond this morning on the way to work and part of the verse said, "As I look back over all the years that I made it through, I can't imagine where I'd be now if it wasn't for You. Why your favor rests upon me I can never explain, but I'm so glad that I can say Your grace in my life lasts forever."

Let's go back to the beginning and just serve God simply because of Who He is. We were created FIRST and foremost to WORSHIP God.