Daily Devotional for Tuesday 26th March
Confident. Crushed. Called.
Yesterday we saw Peter’s passionate response to the soldiers arresting Jesus. He grabs his sword and cuts off a man’s ear. But today we read of his refusal to acknowledge that he knew Jesus - just as Jesus had predicted.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, Peter has a front row seat to many miracles and teachings. He is the one who recognises Jesus for who He is: ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’ (Matthew 16:16). He is the one who confidently says: ‘Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you’ (John 13:37). Jesus answers Peter by telling him what will happen, predicting his denial. ‘Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!’ (John 13:38). And Peter does just that. Three times he says that he doesn’t know Jesus. John provides us with some detail about those who question Peter. Firstly, we have the servant girl who was guarding the door. Then it was the servants and officers who were warming themselves by the fire. And finally it was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off; someone who may have been in the garden at Jesus’ arrest too.
Peter’s boldness and passion seem to disappear. When it came down to it, he wasn’t willing to risk his own life, or even his reputation, for Jesus. He didn’t want people to think he was associated with Jesus. When the rooster crows, Peter must have felt a crushing disappointment in himself as he remembered Jesus’ prediction. In Luke we’re told that Peter ‘went outside and wept bitterly’. He must have felt that it was the end, that he could never come back from this. But we know that it wasn’t the end. Jesus brought forgiveness, restoration, and a new calling for Peter (John 21:15-19). When we make mistakes, when we don’t stand up for Jesus, we can feel like it’s the end too. The guilt and shame can stay with us. But when we bring it to Jesus, He can bring forgiveness, restoration, and a new calling for us too.
Time to reflect...
• Try to put yourself in Peter’s position - what might you have done? How might you have felt?
• Have you ever struggled to share your faith with someone? Have you ever denied knowing Jesus?
• Where has Jesus brought forgiveness, restoration and calling to your life?
Pause to pray…
Take some time to pray for the courage to stand up for what you believe. You might find it helpful to listen to, or sing along with as a declaration of faith, the song ‘I have decided to follow Jesus’. Some of the lyrics are below, and you can find the music here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7XHeCZB5KU
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.
