Aug 4, 2022

The Almost Daily will be on Summer Vacation until August 8th. But fear not! You will receive a devotional each Monday through Friday from the excellent Mockingbird Devotional entitled Daily Grace. Enjoy! - Paul Walker

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” (John 21:9-12)

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have breakfast with Jesus. Would I serve Him or would He serve me? Would He lead the conversation or would He want me to? Would He be proud of me or a little disappointed? These are just a few of my questions. Then I read the passage at hand, and my heart leaps with joy.

Let me set the scene for you. After the death of Jesus a few days earlier, Peter finds himself depressed, especially since he disowned Jesus at his darkest hour. So he goes back to what’s comfortable: fishing! Peter is good at it, and being out on the open water seems to relax him. Yet he and his fellow fishermen haven’t caught one fish, and all he can think about is his denial of Jesus.

As they make their way back to dry land, the fishermen see a man on the beach and exchange a few words with him. As they draw near, John, the youngest of them all, realizes who it is and yells out, “It is the Lord!” (v. 7). Now this is when the story gets interesting. Peter rushes to meet Jesus on the seashore, but before he can even get a word out, Jesus says, in verse 12, “Come and have breakfast.” No rebuke, no stern look, not even a wagging figure. Just an invitation to a meal. Now, we don’t know all of what they chatted about around that campfire that morning, but “it’s a safe bet” that Peter repented and Jesus forgave (cf. vv. 15-19).

Ah, what good news for sinners. “Come and have breakfast.” Friends, the same good news is for you today. No matter what yesterday looked like (or didn’t), we repent, believe the gospel, and listen to this sweet invitation from Jesus. As it says in Revelation, “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me” (3:20).

[Jonathan Adams, Daily Grace - Mockingbird Devotional Vol. 2]