Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”   John 21:16

After Judas betrayed Jesus, he was filled with remorse and went out and hanged himself (Matt. 27:3-5). Judas’ greater betrayal, however, may have been that he apparently could not believe that Jesus would forgive him and that the Holy Spirit would help him forgive himself.  But Judas was not the only one who failed Jesus. After having promised he’d never desert Jesus, Peter denied him three times. When Peter heard the rooster crow, he remembered what Jesus had foretold and went out and wept. 

Later, the risen Christ came to Peter and asked him three times, “Peter, do you love me?” After Peter answered yes each time, Jesus responded with an assignment. He gave Peter his own ministry: “Feed my lambs. Take care of my sheep.” (See John 21:15-17.)  The memory of what we’ve done can be redeemed for good. The new covenant sealed with Jesus’ blood is the promise of God’s forgiveness. In that covenant, the Holy Spirit is able to bring us to rebirth, re-creation, renewal, and redemption. We can be used for God’s purposes, no matter what we’ve done.

Dear God, forgive us our past. Help us to spend our future serving you. Amen.