Tarrying

And a very good morning to you! It is Monday morning, 18th April, the year 2022. And this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

If we go straight to John 21:17:

“He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”

We have work to do!  If we go to 2 Peter 3:9:

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

That is why the Lord is tarrying. He does not want one person to go to a lost eternity. He told Peter, “Feed My sheep.” You know, a very special place for me in Israel is Peter’s Landing. It is right on the shore of that beautiful lake, Galilee, if you go there, there is a beautiful statue of the Lord Jesus speaking to Peter. That is exactly where He said to the boys, “Have you caught anything.” And they said, “No, Lord.” And He said, “Throw the net on the other side”, and remember? They brought in a huge amount of fish. Three times, the Lord Jesus said to Peter, “Do you love me?”  Maybe, some people say because three times Peter had denied the Lord. The Lord said, “Peter do you love me?” “Yes Lord, I love You.” “Feed my sheep.” That is why the Lord Jesus is taking so long to come.  He wants everyone to have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.  He doesn’t want anybody to perish. Maybe you need to go out and tell three people what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for you.

You know, I remember it like yesterday, I had just come to know the Lord and I was at a Polo cross game. I was repping the game, standing behind the goal posts.  They call polo cross “rugby on horseback”. And my friend, Jannie Barnard was standing next to me and he said to me, “Angus, you have changed. You are different.” And I smiled and he said, “ I want what you have got.” I said, “I will see you tomorrow afternoon at 4 o’clock in my dream cathedral, in my maize fields.” Well, you know, that afternoon, I didn’t know what to say.  I was so nervous.  I had never told anyone about Jesus. I said, “Jill, I just don’t know what to say.” She said, “Just tell him what Jesus means to you.” One hungry beggar showing another hungry beggar where to find bread!  Jannie gave his life to Christ in that maize field! We wept, we cried, we hugged each other and a few years later he went to be with the Lord.

You know, on that same field, many, many years later, I had the privilege of praying that same prayer, telling people about Jesus - to  tens of thousands of men! Isn’t God amazing!

Go out today and feed His sheep.
God bless you,