You are all probably familiar with the gospel story where Jesus asks Peter to feed his sheep. The other day as I read and meditated on it, I wondered what it would be like if Jesus were talking to me instead of Peter. We’re all his disciples, so in a way, Jesus does ask this of each of us. I imagined it like this:
When we had finished eating, Jesus said to me, “Mavis, daughter of Louis, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” I said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Mavis, mother of Cori, Luke, and Zach, do you love me?”
I answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to me, “Mavis, sister in the San Jose CRC family, do you love me?”
I was hurt because Jesus asked me the third time, “Do you love me?” I said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. “
(John 21:15-17)
What does that mean for each of us -- feed Jesus’ sheep? What does it mean for San Jose CRC -- feed Jesus’ sheep?
Hineni means, “Here I am, Lord, ready and willing to do what you ask.” What does he ask? Well, Jesus asks if we love him, and when we say we do, he says to feed His sheep.
What does that mean we’ll do?
In the Fall, as the Hineni team starts meeting together again, we will be talking about what feeding Jesus’ sheep means for San Jose CRC. I hope more of you can join us, and everyone continues to pray.
