the intimacy of breakfast

227.  breakfast, especially if I don't have to cook it

John chapters 18-21

The first meal of the day, it breaks your fasting, gets you off and running.  How many people do you share breakfast with?  When you meet a person you may have coffee, or maybe lunch, eventually dinner, but breakfast is not for new friends.  Breakfast is intimate. 

Jesus made breakfast, on the beach, and fed his disciples bread and fish.  I love this.  As many times as I've read the first four books of the New T. I have glossed right over the fact and missed this beauty.   And Peter, oh Peter.

That rooster crowed and you were shamed, broken, guilt fell down on you and you ran.  Your friend, your Salvation, needed you and you denied three times your love of him.   Left Him alone.  My empathy sticks in my throat. 

After that Sunday rising up, glory, Mary running with the Good News, the men were ecstatic, and that is understating it.  But not Peter, Peter went fishing.  Not out of disrespect, but guilt and shame.  I imagine he did not eat, did not sleep, had hollows under his eyes.  His friends, despite their excitement, recognized his great pain and went with him, perhaps fearing for his life. 

And I AM came to them and stood on the beach.  Within the boat John called to Peter "it is the Lord".   And Peter jumps in and swims to his Savior, his Friend.  I imagine tears. 

Jesus does not condemn.  He does not even bring to mind the three times and the rooster's crow.  He has breakfast waiting for His friends, and serves them bread and fish. 

After breakfast Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him.  I see my Savior's humor; Peter looks daft, gets irritated by the third time.  I wonder if he ever connects the three denials with Jesus' request that he declare his love three times. 

Grace.  That is what it looks like.  Defined as getting what you do not deserve.  Mercy, not getting what you do deserve. 

Mercy and Grace.  Do I show these to my family?  Can my boys look to me and see the attributes of Christ in my mercy and grace to them.  I am afraid not.  I have much work to do. 

228. His mercies are new every morning

229. a Monday to show grace and many opportunities to practice

230. things of beauty in each day, that I can count, redirect my selfish eyes

 231. a bobwhite named bob

 232. solitude

233. a computer full of photos from the past that I can reflect upon and remember blessings not counted

Chase Him with reckless abandon, get out of the boat today.