how many. John must be thinking
again about that earlier haul. The net couldn't stand the strain then.
But now it's different. Ah! _every_thing's blessedly different now. "The
net was not rent."

Then the gracious call to breakfast by their Host. Was ever fish done to
such a fine turn? Did ever any fish have such an exquisite flavour? or
taste so good? Did ever men eat so gladly and yet quietly with a
distinct touch of awe in their spirits? For they _know_ it is the
Master, though no word of that has been spoken. Words were needless.

Now they're walking along the beach, Jesus and Peter in the lead but the
others quite near. And there's the bit of talk between the two. Very
gently Jesus says, "Do you love Me, Peter?" And Peter feels he hardly
dare use the sacred word for "love" that the Master has used. He had
made such an awful break at just that point. And with breaking voice he
says, "Yea, Lord, Thou knowest I have the highest regard for Thee."

And again the question, and the answer, with Peter still humbly
clinging to his more modest word. And now Jesus says, "Do you really
love Me even as you yourself say?" And Peter with his heart in his face
says passionately, "Lord, Thou knowest better than I can tell Thee."

And because he loves, Peter is given the full privilege of shepherding
the whole flock, from feeding little lambkins on to feeding all, and
guiding, through the hard places, even the wayward ones. And more yet
and higher, because Peter loves, he will be privileged to suffer, even
as his Master had suffered. The fellowship would extend even to that.

And Peter's eye falls on John. And apparently he is thinking of the
contrast between John's faithfulness and his own break that
betrayal-night. If poor faulty Peter may be so privileged how John would
be rewarded. But Jesus quietly turns Peter, and all Peter's numerous
kinsfolk of this sort, away from human comparisons. And instead He seeks
to turn their hearts to this: He is coming back in person some day for
an advance step in the kingdom program. And there they are, walking and
talking, along the beach by the blue Galilean waters.

The Same Jesus Here Now.

An unrecognized Stranger who turns out to be Jesus; an unusual haul of
fish gotten in a very unusual way; a warm fire and tasty breakfast for
cold hungry men; a tender talk about love and service and sacrifice,
and about Jesus' return;--all this is a moving-picture illustration of
the meanin