Have you ever felt as if you’ve just made the biggest mistake you will ever have, and absolutely nothing you will do causes it to be right?
Jesus’ disciple Peter might’ve felt like that as he denied knowing his beloved Lord not once, nor twice, but three times—and with cursing and swearing. After spending three years with Jesus, seeing Him heal many sick people (including his family), as well as walking on water with Him, this must’ve been crushing for the fisherman who’d claimed, that very same day, “Lord, I am all set to go to You, both to prison and also to death.” (Luke 22:33 NKJV)
I’m sure the bitter irony wasn’t lost on Peter: in the bid for self-preservation, he denied the One he had sworn his loyalty to.
Worst of all, Jesus was present to know Peter’s stinging words of denial in the courtyard (one Bible version even records Peter saying, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t understand the man!” (Matt 26:74 NLT)). As Jesus turned to have a look at him, I can’t imagine the overwhelming guilt that must’ve shot through Peter’s heart at the time.
However the real question is: How did Jesus have a look at Peter?
I don’t believe it had been an accusatory glare, a disappointed frown and sometimes even an “I-told-you-so” look ( even though the Lord had actually predicted Peter’s denials beforehand (see Luke 22:34)). Because later, even with being senselessly ridiculed because of the Jews, wounded beyond recognition by the Roman soldiers’ whips, and achieving nails driven through His hands and feet on the cross, Jesus could still say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Instead, Jesus looked at Peter with forgiveness. Tenderness. With eyes that said, “Hey Peter, you may possibly have failed, but remember that I’ve prayed for you personally that your particular confidence in Me (not yourself!) will likely not fail.” (see Luke 22:32, AMP)
And Jesus spared no lengths in pursuing Peter together with love. After He’d risen from the dead, He told His disciples—and Peter—through an angel about His whereabouts, making special mention of Peter. In reality, Jesus probably had a private meeting with him, the important points of which we aren’t privy to (Luke 24:34). For the reason that encounter, I believe the father restored Peter from the guilt that must’ve been gnawing away at him. Besides that, did you know that the Lord even cared to heal Peter’s painful memories of denying Him? The fateful incident where he denied Jesus occurred by a fire, but Jesus also made a breakfast of fish and bread on a fire when it comes to disciples, after He rose from the dead (John 21:9). So after that, the smell of fire wouldn’t remind Peter any more of his grave mistake, but of the Lord’s love for him. It was the Lord’s no-holds-barred love for Peter that enabled him to rise up in boldness, preach and acquire three thousand souls saved later on (take a visit in Acts 2).
So…if there’s a mistake inside your life which you can’t get over, know that the Lord isn’t shaking His head in disappointment at you (Rom 8:1). Jesus still loves you, precisely because He bore the judgment for the every failure when He died on the cross. Plus it’s by receiving His unconditional love that may result in, like Peter, to go from the pits to being more than a conqueror in life!
No comments:
Post a Comment