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Author Neil Chethik wrote a book about the way sons cope with the death of their dads. He commissioned a survey of 300 men and found that 65 percent said the death of their father affected them more than any other loss in their lives. Chethik said, "Each man, it seemed to me, experienced a significant reordering of his inner landscape."

One 48-year-old said: "When my father died, it was as if I had lived in... a house with a picture window looking out on a mountain range. Then one day I looked out the window, and one of the mountains was gone."

When Jacob died, Joseph experienced a great loss. We read that "And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him." (Genesis 50:1). The period of ceremony, mourning, and burial lasted more than 2 months.

For most of us, our fathers will die before we do. And we should feel free to grieve our loss, whether our memories are happy or painful.

God promises that one day "there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying" (Revelation 21:4). Until then, tears are God's gift for the cleansing of the soul when we must cope with losing a parent or loved one.

...follow thou me. John 21:22. References from John 21:1-22

We know Peter as the disciple whom Jesus called a stone and who confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. But we also know him as the disciple who crashed in fear when he came under pressure.

How badly did Peter act? When Judas arrived with soldiers to arrest Jesus, Peter acted rashly with his sword and was rebuked by the Lord. Then he ran away in fear with the other disciples. Then he denied Christ three times, even after Jesus direct warning that he would do so (see John 18).

From a human point of view, we would say Jesus had the right to end His friendship with Peter. But that's not what Jesus did. He forgave Peter and kept his discipleship alive.

Jesus and Peter may have spoken privately prior to the above scripture; after all, Christ had appeared many times since His Resurrection. Peter may have already known he was forgiven. In any case, Jesus publicly reaffirmed Peter here as His disciple, in effect recalling him to ministry. His question to Peter, Do you truly love me more than these? stressed again the necessity of total commitment (v15).

More than these might refer to the fishing gear... had Peter really left his old way of life?... or to the other disciples, in which case Jesus question may have been meant to humble him in light of his past boasts (see Mark 14:29).

Jesus promised that following Him would bring disgrace and suffering, and popular opinion has long interpreted verse 18 as a prophecy of Peter's crucifixion. He was not to worry about or be distracted by the fates of the other disciples, but to keep his eyes firmly fixed on Christ alone (v21-22).

It may seem easier to answer the call to discipleship when the slate is clean and the road is clear. But what about years and miles later, when we've made mistakes and committed sins and left the straight and narrow path too many times to count? What then? Then, more than ever, the imperative remains: You must follow me (v22).

Peter could have used his failure as an excuse to give up on discipleship and return to an ordinary life. What excuses do you make for not following Jesus with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?

List your top three excuses, perhaps including I don't have enough time, I haven't got the strength, or God could never forgive me for ____. What Scripture verses can you find to prove your excuses are truthful? It is always safer to trust the words of Jesus Christ. As he proved with Peter... it isn't what we say that counts, it is what he says!!!