To Be Like Peter – Absolute Need

What do you need? Aside from basic things that all people need, like adequate food, clothing, and shelter, what do you need? What passion drives you? What need creates that “I’m going to crawl out of my skin if I don’t get it” feeling? What desire distracts you so much that everything else you do is simply going through the motions?

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, He showed Himself to people, including the disciples. He did miracles. He popped in and out of rooms and had conversations. In fact, the scene in John 21 is the third time He appeared to His disciples. They knew He was alive so they surely rejoiced in that. However, their relationship with Him had changed and their situations were certainly not what they had hoped. They didn’t know He was teaching them how their new relationship with Him would work. They didn’t know those three years had been training for their great purpose yet to come. All they knew was that the One they loved and had loved them with a love they had never known, was no longer around as much. The hope and purpose for their future He had given them seemed to have vanished. The excitement and passion that had been awakened within them suddenly had nowhere to go. So what did they do? They did what we all tend to do when hugely disappointed, go back to the lesser – the normal and familiar. They went back to their jobs.

But when God has ignited a passion that isn’t being poured out, it creates a restlessness. The disciples fished that night but caught nothing. Peter was a fiery man so I can imagine him sitting in that boat, bored with the job, rocking back and forth with the waves, irritated that they hadn’t caught anything, and wondering what had gone so wrong. And, what would he do next? He couldn’t live like this, not without Jesus. His passion smoldered … with nowhere to go. If he could have crawled out of his skin, he would have. Anything to get relief.

God, in His mercy, brings us to that place so we will respond as Peter did. A Man appeared on the shore offering fishing advice. When his instruction proved successful, and John realized who it was, he turned to Peter and said, “It is the Lord!” Perhaps Peter had so welcomed the activity, to get his mind off his despair, that he hadn’t looked beyond the relief. But with John’s words, “It is the Lord!”, the smoldering embers caught fire once again. He plunged into the water and headed for shore, headed for Jesus. The others followed in the boat, but Peter couldn’t wait that long. His passion exploded when he realized that the only One who could meet his need was there, waiting for him on the shore. His need drove him to the One who could meet it. No hesitation, no questions, no self-consciousness. Peter needed. Jesus satisfied.

What need is burning within you? If you take it to Jesus you will find not only sweet relief, but a purpose for that need that will be satisfied nowhere else. God placed within us a driving need for Himself. Will you allow that need to take you to Him, no matter what? No hesitation, no questions, no self-consciousness. You need. Jesus satisfies.