Scripture Reading(s)
Matthew 26:73-75
26:73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.”
26:74 Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment the cock crowed.
26:75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Reflections
The third and final step that Peter takes before plunging deeper into sin is also that same step that leads him to repentance and forgiveness.
In the last two devotionals we witnessed Peter’s downward spiral into doing the thing that he so boldly claimed he would never do. We noticed how after the first two incidents that there was no feelings of remorse or guilt. There was only one step that Peter took and that was to protect himself by denying Christ.
This third denial however being the same in action is different in nature. This time, the result ended up with Peter feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame. This is the true response of a repentant believer when finally faced with the reality of their sin. Although guilt is not something we should hold on to, it is what initially leads us to confessing our sins and then seeking God’s forgiveness.
The process can often time be painful, however once we truly experience God’s Grace, the pain of feeling the guilt and shame is not such a heavy burden and we in turn experience God’s peace and joy in our lives. God does not intend for us to wallow in our sin. The goal is to recognize it, admit it, confess and ask for God’s forgiveness. The last part is to finally accept that God has forgiven you and ask for strength to stay strong against sin.
It is unfortunate that Peter denied the Lord 3 times. Yet, it is fortunate that Jesus foretold this event. Had he not then Peter may not have realized his folly so quickly. In fact, if Jesus had not called Peter out previously it is possible that his life and ministry may have been radically different than it actually was. I mention all this just to point out that sometimes we need a loving rebuke or a loving correction so that we can fix our face and get back on track. I know that many times I have had to be corrected by a brother or sister. It might hurt but it’s for the best.
It is also important to point out that Jesus had already forgiven Peter before he even denied Him. That can be seen by the fact that Jesus warned Him of such things and then later reunited with Peter and shore while the disciples were fishing. Just as with Peter, Jesus has already forgiven us for our sins, past, present, and future. We must not dwell on our own failures and slow down the progress of building the Kingdom.
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