A HIGHER HOPE | NOVEMBER

Do you love me?

“I do not at all understand the mystery of grace – only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.” Anne Lamott

At the beginning of the year, we began our series of Hope with Grace by looking at the ancient art of Kintsugi, how it beautifully exhibits the work of grace in our lives.  How, even when we ‘mess’ up in our lives, God graciously puts us back together with His ‘Gold’, the special work of His Holy Spirit, restoring as well as making us even more grateful for His mighty work in us.

There are many examples in the Old Testament of God’s grace – intervention, redemption, and restoration and the New Testament brings us the same message of hope through the glorious grace of God, as shown in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us many examples of redemption and restoration – how He can completely turn our lives around and impact those around us.

One outstanding example is Simon Peter, one of the 12 disciples called by Jesus. Simon Peter was trying to understand who Jesus was, His mission on earth and His obedience even to death on the cross to save all mankind. Simon Peter was a zealous disciple. At the most crucial point in Jesus’ trial, the normally passionate, committed Simon Peter denied knowing Jesus, not just once but three times, just as Jesus foretold and just as Simon Peter protested would never happen.

Sitting around the fire outside of the Temple, a few bystanders were talking about the trial of ‘that Nazarene’ and Simon Peter was sitting just beside them.  Trying to see and find out what was happening to Jesus, Simon Peter was straining to hear or ‘read’ the signs of movement, all the while trying not to look too interested.  How much fear must have gripped his heart – fear of Jesus being sent to death as well as fear for himself and the other disciples. Sitting in dread of what might happen at any moment, Simon Peter was on a knife’s edge. So when the others around the fire started asking each other if anyone knew Jesus, he didn’t want to desert Jesus but knew his life was on the line. “I’ll have to deny knowing Him”, he thought with anguish. “I don’t know what else to do!”

On the 3rd time he denied Jesus, he heard the rooster crow and remembered Jesus’ words about his denial. “O, my Lord! How could I have been so weak?” he thought and bitterly wept at the full realisation of what he had done, realising Jesus had known exactly what was going to happen and yet still deeply loved him.

During the crucifixion Simon Peter was inconsolable, believing the situation was irreparable. After the resurrection, when Jesus appeared to the disciples, Jesus took Simon Peter aside, asking him “Do you love me?” not just once, but three times. Simon Peter was broken and ashamed, not expecting what Jesus would do for him next. Jesus didn’t ask “Do you love me?” to shame him but to call him once again to love and serve Him with all his heart and passion. Jesus showed Simon Peter undeserved love, redemption and restoration. This was crucial. That day Simon truly became Peter, the ‘rock’ on which the Church was built. Simon Peter realised that he could depend on the all-consuming love of the Father, as redeemer, restorer and re-builder – to “feed my sheep” (John 21:17)

We too find that grace really only makes sense in our relationship with Jesus when we choose to fully trust Him.

Kintsugi is a visual demonstration of the power of God’s grace and a reminder that Jesus can make something beautiful of our lives, even the parts that we think are, like Simon Peter, beyond salvaging. Kintsugi reminds us that Jesus is the eternal repairer and re-builder.

May our relationship with Jesus, the repairer and restorer, be a living invitation to our students to also join this life-long journey.

“16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16,17)