Read: John 21:1-14
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” . . . They knew it was the Lord. (v. 12)
Can you picture the scene? Sunrise on the beach—the beginning of a beautiful day. There’s breakfast on the grill, and good friends hanging out together. The most surreal aspect of this scene is how normal it all is—except, of course, for the miraculous catch of fish. And the fact that one of the friends had recently died! But there are no ghosts here; these eight men are all alive and well.
This occasion was filled with echoes from their past with Jesus—reminders of what they had been through together. No doubt Peter, Andrew, John, and James remembered their days as fishermen, and how Jesus had called them from that life to become his disciples (Mark 1:16-20). The miraculous catch of fish reminded them of a similar catch early in Jesus’s ministry (Luke 5:1-11). Even the fire on the beach was a poignant memory for Peter; he had warmed himself by such a fire the night he denied Jesus three times. Later in this passage Jesus would restore him publicly to his rightful place in the ministry by asking him three times if he loved him (John 21:15-19).
This sweet time of fellowship with Jesus was preparing the disciples for the work they would do in the days ahead. When Jesus ascended into heaven, his work continued through them and through his church. We are a part of that work today.
As you pray, remember Christ’s work through his church in the world today.
About the Author
Laura Sweet
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian school teacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
