NOT ME!-in His Word 4-3-2023
Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”
Jesus replied, “I
tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you
will deny three times that you even know me.”
“No!” Peter declared
emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all
the others vowed the same. Mark 14:29-31
They thought they would stand. Peter the most, though that
he was bold enough to stand by Jesus forever no matter what! He was full of
pride, some say, but don’t we all believe that we will not be the weak and
fearful ones? Don’t we all believe that we will stand up on the roof top and shout,
“I believe in Jesus!” and not care who hears?
Actually, I think we all have our moment of truth, when we
stand up for what we believe in. Mine was at a time when I had to choose to
stop going to church or move from the house I was living in. I made my choice
to do both! Some would say that was walking on a fence but really I chose to
keep the relationship with the one who gave me the ultimatum and more over keep
my relationship with God and following the path He gave me to attend Bethel
Chapel, in Federal Way, Washington, so many years ago.
It was hard to make that decision and really I could have
obeyed the one over the other, but doing the stick it out thing I found brought
the owner to their knees before the Lord! They saw the strength in my resolve
and told me years later how they admired it, it made them look a little closer at
God’s Word.
Eventually.
Now I am not telling you this to be prideful but to say we
sometimes have to make a tough choice to walk the path God gave us, and
sometimes that is way harder than we thought! We have to swallow our pride and
be humble in most instances. Funny, but to be bold and to be humble are
connected.
They are when it means we stand up for God, the boldness,
and yet obey the rules, the humbleness.
If you continue on in Mark you will find that the disciples
of Jesus scattered when he got arrested. They were all afraid, but Peter came
near to the trial of sorts so he could hear what was happening to Jesus. He
stood near by with other people from the area standing around fires staying
warm. He listened so he could know what was going on but as they asked him if
he was not one of Jesus’ group he denied it three different ways and times that
night just as Jesus had said.
Jesus knew of course. I imagine that as Peter heard the rooster
crow his heart sank in embarrassment, as well as horror at what he had done. He
did what he did not want to do, he was weak.
Sometimes no matter how hard we try to be strong and stand up, we just cannot do it. Peter’s story shows us that Jesus understands our fears, our hearts and our desire to do what is right and strong. We can see that He knows us better than we know ourselves!
When I was in my teens and my mom worked outside the home, I
would make her a cup of coffee as I saw her coming up the walk. Together we
would sit and talk about our days. Both of us would give details and we would laugh
or cry or just listen to one another. It was amazing. Not everyone gets that in
the world today. I recognized this even in my teens and I told my mother that I
never wanted to live more than two blocks away from her so we could meet for
coffee and talk all the time! She knew
better, I mean she lived over a thousand miles away from her mother for years
due to work. She knew that no matter how much I tried that I would end up
moving away. I ended up in a different country for a few years before she moved
back to the US. That was a lot longer than two blocks let me tell you! She is
in heaven now but I believe that my mom understood my heart a lot like Jesus
did Peter’s. He knew Peter meant well, but that the flesh was weak.
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.
“Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one
hour? Watch and pray so that you will
not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark
14:37-38
Thankfully God knows our hearts and minds, He forgives us
our trespasses that we may in turn forgive others for the same. He accepts us
as His own even when we fail to do what He says. He tells us also to forgive
one another as He forgives us. To treat others as He has treated us as well as
as we want to be treated. So that we can become more like Jesus we need to take
a moment and ask ourselves if we need to accept or forgive someone who may have
transgressed or spoken against us. Then we need to let the person know that we
are not that person anymore, and ask their forgiveness as well.
Someone once said that forgiveness is not stuffing it in a box, but actually letting go of the hurt feelings and giving them to God. Whatever we forgive on earth He will forgive in heaven, even if you have to forgive yourself.
Be bold, be strong for the Lord your God is with you. But do
not forget to ask forgiveness and know He will forgive you when you fail. Our God
is such an awesome forgiving loving God after all! Let us live likewise and
accept the changes we need to make, and bring our fails to Jesus.
In His Love,