Yogi-isms

A Lenten Series on the number 40
Jesus’ 40 days after the resurrection
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 21 

[Historically, Lent is a 40‑day period of preparation leading up to Easter. It involves reflection and repentance with the ultimate goal of transformation. The number 40 is significant in the Bible as it is associated with multiple stories of preparation and testing. In this Lenten series, we will be looking at various Biblical stories that include the number 40, and how it applies to us.]

  

Although I’ve never been a fan of the New York Yankees, you couldn’t ignore them when I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. They had so many great players like Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Roger Maris and Bobby Richardson. One of the most famous was Yogi Berra.

 

Although Yogi was a great player, he was also well known for his Yogi-isms. These were nonsensical sayings that he uttered during interviews. My personal favorite is "It's Déjà vu all over again".

 

We’ve all experienced that feeling where it seems like we’ve done something before but can’t quite put our finger on it. I imagine that Peter may have felt that way on the Sea of Galilee following the resurrection of Jesus.

 

Three years before that, when Jesus called his first disciples to follow him, he asked Peter to take him out on a boat to speak to the large crowd. When he was done, he asked Peter to go out further and throw out his nets. Despite the fact that Peter, a seasoned fisherman, had fished all night without catching anything… he still did it.

 

He was probably glad that he did because he caught so many fish that his partners had to bring out another boat to haul the fish to shore. When Peter saw this, he said to Jesus, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

 

^10b Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!" ¹¹ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.                       NLT   Luke 5

 

Fast forward to the 40 days following Jesus’ resurrection. Seven of his disciples had returned to the Sea of Galilee. While there, Peter decided to go fishing and as usual, the others followed. Even though they fished all night, they didn’t catch anything.

 

At dawn Jesus was standing on the shore and called out asking if they had any fish. After they answered no, he told them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat. When they did, there were so many fish that they couldn’t haul them in.

 

Sound familiar? Peter would have been reminded of his first fishing miracle with Jesus. But there was more to his Déjà vu experience.

 

John recognized Jesus and told Peter who it was. Without thinking, Peter jumped into the water and went to shore. Jesus had prepared a breakfast of bread and fish for them. When they were done, he asked Peter a pointed question. “Peter, do you love me”. In fact, he asked the same question three times.

 

¹⁷ A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.  NLT

 

Is it possible that Peter may have been reeling from the guilt and shame of rejecting Jesus the night he was arrested? He hadn’t reconciled with his rabbi and constant friend. So, when Jesus asked him three times if he loved him, it easily could have brought those memories and feelings crashing back. Déjà vu all over again.

 

This Easter, the risen Christ has the same question for you and me as he had for Peter – “Do you love me”. If our answer is yes, he has already told us what to do.

 

^19b Then Jesus told Peter, “Follow me.”             NLT

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

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Deja’ Vu All Over Again

(This is not my normal devotional thought for the week but my thoughts and observations following one of those life changing events that often occur in our lives.)

 

 

 

Like the old Yogi Berra quote, “It’s like Deja’ vu all over again”.

 

I can still remember it like it was yesterday. Walking into the empty house, going into the kitchen where the high chair was sitting. It was July 14, 1978. Debbie had delivered our still born daughter earlier that day. She was staying at the hospital overnight while I came home to all the reminders of the baby that we would never know.

 

The refinished high chair, which was a family heirloom. The nursery, which Debbie’s sister Janice had wall papered. The little stuffed sunshine that my parents gave us. It played “You are My Sunshine”. We both had broken hearts because nothing could replace the child that we would never know.

 

On Friday, May 20, 2016, I walked into an empty house around 10pm. After a very long day that had started about 12:30am that morning, I was looking forward to relaxing by sitting down in front of the TV to watch a movie that I had recorded earlier and drinking a glass of wine.

 

But there on Debbie’s ottoman was the blanket, rice sock and pillow that she had used only the night before to nurse her knee that had had knee replacement surgery only five weeks ago. The memories from 1978 came rushing back into my head. How close I had almost come to never having Debbie to return to at home again.

 

When we left in the morning we were concerned but had no idea of the severity of the situation. At Dublin Methodist, the first diagnosis was a heart attack. This was based on an EKG that they had taken and compared to the one Debbie had had prior to her knee replacement surgery.

 

This was the worst possible scenario. Her family history was horrendous. Her Father and brother had died from massive heart attacks. Her mother had died from hardening of the arteries. Not a good prognosis.

 

The staff at Dublin Methodist were caring and efficient following all the protocols for such a situation. A half dozen or more people came into her room to do what needed to be done. Finally the squad arrived that would transport her to Riverside Methodist.

 

Everybody seemed urgent in their tasks but not hectic or panicky like it was an emergency. However, I found out later that the squad drove with their lights flashing and siren blaring as they sped down the highway.

 

Following her emergency heart catheterization, the doctor told me that Debbie had not had a heart attack but suffered from stress-induced cardiomyopathy, or “Broken Heart Syndrome”.

 

As it turns out, if you’re going to have heart attack symptoms, this is the best diagnosis because there is no permanent damage to the heart. In fact, the heart heals itself and the recovery is normally quick and complete with no reoccurrence of the syndrome.

 

We’d already suffered a broken heart once, I’m glad for the outcome this time.

 

On the following Sunday, Jerry’s sermon title was “Finding Joy in Rejoicing”. It was based on Philippians 4:4 which states: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice”.

 

This is a nice saying but in the crucible of life, how realistic is it? When the squad is flying down the highway with sirens blaring and lights flashing, how can we be expected to rejoice, let alone find joy?

 

The bottom line through all of this is that God is sovereign; that He is in control; that He has the final word. Not pain or suffering. When we realize that, then we can rejoice in the Lord always.