Breakfast By the Sea

Breakfast By the Sea
By Jeanne Stewart

‘I have pleaded in prayer for you that your faith should not fail … so when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.’ (Luke 22:32 NLT)


It Is a Difficult Understanding …

It may be difficult to believe that Christ’s love for us was His first priority that compelled Him to embrace such suffering for our sake. For us to love completely as we are so loved by our Lord involves risk and even pain in this life. The world’s idea of love cannot even handle the true meaning and understanding, as the God of love lived it through actions of surrender.

The night Jesus spent in prayer in the Garden reflects such amazing and complete love, as He agonizes through words spoken to His Father for those given Him to carry on the gospel of truth to a dying, sinful world.


Love Cannot Be Forced

Love cannot be forced. I find that Christ’s love frees me from past misunderstandings and wounding hurts in accepting the deepening results of His love. As I allow my LORD to love through me, my desire nurtures this truth to bring HIM honor.

Peter’s confidence in his depth of love for Jesus did not prepare him for the denial and suffering he would experience. ‘Lord I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ (Luke 22:33) Words, I am sure, echoed back over the next days of torment, as Peter wept bitterly at his denial of Jesus. Peter experienced a blow so hard to his soul that he gained a new depth of understanding unconditional love through suffering. Love is freely given and cannot be forced.


Fishing All Night …

Fishing all night and then having breakfast by the sea with Jesus is one of my favorite portions of scripture as it reflects the perfect love of Christ and echoes His mercy. During the forty days before returning to His Father in heaven, it is one of the many times Jesus shows Himself to the disciples after His resurrection. Chapter 21 of John’s gospel begins at the shoreline in early morning. Jesus’ love for His friends lingers in the aroma of grilling fish and bread awaiting them.

After a long night of fishing, and with nothing to show for their hard work, hungry and tired, the disciples cast their net on the other side of the boat because Jesus asks them to. Bringing in a huge catch of 153 fish, they are then asked to bring some of their fish to add with the fish Jesus has already been cooking on the fire. There is such a spiritual truth here for us to grab onto about loving others into the Kingdom of God. The hundred-fold ministry of grace encourages us to listen to the direction of what the Spirit of the Lord speaks to us to accomplish His will is His and not ours.

The part I embrace is that the struggling is over. The anguish of soul has repented its own desires and Peter realizes the One on the shore calling is all authority in love. In response, he jumps into the water to approach Him as his first priority.

Where Peter walked on water once to go to Jesus, but sank in his own lack of faith, we now see Peter’s new found depth of dedication. The sufferings of love reflect his portion to add to what Jesus has already placed within him to feed His sheep. Three times he denied his Lord in fear. Now Peter answers three times the question Jesus asked with assurance and acceptance of love, ‘Do you love me Peter?’ with … ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’ Jesus then gives back to Peter a new and fresh place of boldness and strength with a greater leading of the power of His Spirit of love.

Prayer of Reflection

Father God … this is our time to walk on the water on top of the waves of difficulties of life and not drown in the storm. Give us the strength to jump deeper into understanding Your perfect love that we may reflect You in our lives. May we learn to affectionately cherish, take pleasure in, and have personal attachment for the sake of Jesus and His depth of love. We thank you for feeding us each morning with the Bread of Life as we become quiet before You to hide Your words in our heart to meet another new day. Amen ~

Because of His Great Love ~

"He who does not love does not know God ... for God is love." 1 John 4:8

For people to be absolutely honest in expressing their needs ... all would have to say they seek love and long for the fulfillment it promises to bring them. Love comes in various forms. We find love in sincere friendships and of course ... in our family relationships. We want those around us to love and accept us. We want to share the love inside of us with others. We yearn to interact with another living being in a love relationship ... whether family or a close friend and to embrace the fulfillment of that interaction. Still ... though we may feel love within ourselves ... that love cannot be fully realized and enjoyed unless it is shared with another.

Sharing love brings a feeling of completeness into our lives. It also brings joy, excitement and adventure. Sharing love brings purpose to our days and to our existence. We care for those we love, and they care for us. If we truly had no one in our lives that we loved or that loved us, we would have little reason to exist.

Indeed, we put a great deal of energy and work into our families and close friends. Why? Because of His Great Love!

Genuineness of Faith ~

"My grace is sufficient for you for My strength is made perfect in weakness ..."
2 Corinthians 12:9

I am believing more and more that it is in our faithfulness to God that He rewards our integrity. Realizing nothing is more likely to disturb the calm of our thoughts than say ... acute pain.

Trusting in heartfelt prayer and relationship with God as Father of our comfort and well being we truly come to Him in this weakness that brings pain to our bodies ... our minds or our hearts. We then must look ahead to His perfect strength to heal and take our pain.

It is His grace that will be sufficient for us ... for it is within this strength His healing moves and performs His will. It will be His perfect ways that overcome our weaknesses and then we will know faith built by overcoming the suffering of pain ... we then give Him all glory and praise that He is God and hears and sees our needs.