After Peter denied Jesus, he went back to doing what he did in the old days: fishing. When we decide to follow Christ, let’s not look back.

Imagine that Jesus was coming over for dinner tonight. What would you do to prepare for his arrival? Is he welcome to make himself at home?

I wrote about reaching my 500th blog post milestone last spring, but reaching 1,000 seemed like ages away … Wow, here we are!

Lately, I’ve been listening my way through my late brother’s cd collection. He was a big heavy metal/alternative music fan, and although it comes as a surprise to many people, I like that kind of music, also. (I am a prude when it comes to some of the lyrics, but I like the music a lot.) I also listen to praise & worship music and enjoy a meaningful ballad as much as the next person, though I lean toward bands like Skillet and Audio Adrenaline. I have eclectic tastes; what can I say? 😉

There’s just something about listening to amazingly skilled drummers and guitarists, and yes, even angry lyrics, that seems to release what might otherwise become pent-up frustration in my own life. If we’re honest (well, I can’t speak for you; I can only speak for myself), there are things we I would like to express sometimes but can’t say aloud, for numerous reasons. For me, metal is an outlet for those sorts of emotions.

I’m not trying to justify explicit lyrics and the negative behavior that is often stereotypical of the rock scene. I’m just saying that the music diffuses the rage that I might feel, for example, during Dallas rush-hour traffic (<<I do not miss that!), or when my boss got fired for no reason, or when someone flooded the bathroom, or when my brother died, or _____ (<<fill in any number of reasons that drive any one of us bonkers).

One line from the cd that I’m listening to now (by now-defunct band Type O Negative) stood out to me: “The only things that last forever are memories and sorrow.” As a believer in Christ, I disagree, but I can see the musician’s perspective. If all you know of life is in the here & now, when dark times come (and they will), then you can lose hope. I don’t know how I would have made it through the past few years without my faith. Yes, I have bad days. I just admitted that I listen to heavy metal to channel my rage!

The thing is, though, when the song is over, the rage is gone. The nagging feeling in my flesh-self that says to lose hope is pushed aside. I think there’s a reason why the Bible says that we have to pick up our cross and follow Christ daily. It’s an arduous journey–full of challenges, but we can find joy along the way.

Thank you for walking this journey with me.

Are you following Christ because it’s your choice, or are you following the footsteps of a parent, spouse, etc? The decision is yours alone.

Think back to your first crush or the early days of dating your spouse. Wasn’t it fun to show your affection? How can we show God our love?

2 Corinthians 6 reminds us that our invitation is waiting. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day your life can be brand-new!

Have you, like Peter, ever denied (or tried to hide) your faith in Christ? Talk to him about it today and accept his forgiveness.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine that you checked the mail and saw a letter from Jesus, addressed to you. How would you feel?

The year was 1986. His name was Danny. He was funny, cute, never once called me “four eyes” like some other mean boys who shall remain nameless, and I had it bad. I mustered up the courage to write Danny a “check yes or no” note to see if he LIKED me liked me, or if he just, you know, plain ol’ liked me. Days and eons passed with no reply, and my self-esteem plummeted. Finally, one day on the way to P.E., he passed me in the hallway, smiled and handed me a folded note. He’d drawn a heart on the front of it.

This story isn’t about a sappy, romantic outcome, because Danny moved away shortly thereafter, and we lost touch. (Back then, there was a per-minute, long-distance fee to phone another town, and we had to use these things called stamps to correspond in writing.) What it boils down to is a question that we all need to know the answer to: Do you LIKE me like me, or do you just like me? The question goes beyond tweenage crushes and cuts to the core of our hearts, because it’s something that Christ asks each of us.

Jesus once put Peter on the spot and asked him a similar question in John 21. You may remember Peter from the crucifixion story—he’s the one who denied knowing Jesus three times over the course of one night. Our story picks up after Jesus was raised from the dead, and he appeared on the shore where Peter and others were [unsuccessfully] fishing. They realized who he was and had a meal together—after Jesus helped them haul in a miraculous catch. During the course of their conversation, Jesus posed the question three times to Peter: “Do you love me?” It was his way of reinstating Peter for denying him.

Jesus isn’t going to force us to love him or drag us along as mindless followers, without a will of our own. He offers us a choice to love him passionately and to follow him wholeheartedly. The Bible is his love letter to us, filled with grace, mercy and an eternal promise. Will you check yes or no?

Some athletes make the game look easy, but it takes discipline and practice – as does our faith, so let’s exercise it through prayer today.