Mega Do-over

Greetings,

Have you ever messed up and wished you could get a do-over?  I have.   But rather than share a personal story, I want to talk about Peter in the Bible.  There are failures and then there are epic failures; Peter's would be the later, and the details are found in the 26th chapter of Matthew.

Right after sharing Holy Communion and a few hours before His arrest and subsequent crucifixion, Christ tells Peter and the other disciples in verse 31 that "Tonight all of you will desert Me."  Peter is quick to respond in verse 33, "Even if everyone else deserts You, I will never desert You." 

However, Jesus knows better and replies, "...this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know Me."  Peter, so sure of himself yells, "No!, Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You!"

Those are reassuring words, and since they are emphatically punctuated with exclamation points Peter really wants Jesus to get the message that he is a true friend.  

A few verses later, however,  Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He is in "anguish and distress" over what's about to happen, and asks Peter to stay close to Him and "keep watch with Me." Suffice to say that Peter fell asleep at the time Christ needed him most.  Christ is then arrested and "Peter followed at a distance."  What happened to "I will never desert You?" 

It gets worse...

As our Lord is being beaten not only is Peter a safe distance away "out in the courtyard," but when someone says to him, "You were one of those with Jesus," verse 70 says, "PETER DENIED IT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE."  Ouch. The third and final time he denied Christ he swore that "I have never laid eyes on the man!"

So much for "I will never deny You!"

The rooster did indeed crow immediately after Peter's final denial, and all Peter could do upon realizing what he had done was, "cry, and cry, and cry."

That's not the end of the story, thank God.

After Christ's death and resurrection He appears to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee where they are fishing.  Peter is there, and Jesus is about to do something very powerful: He invites Peter to a home-cooked breakfast.

He doesn't yell, accuse, express disappointment or anger.  Instead, He lovingly provides for Peter's very real human needs and welcomes him back into fellowship by sharing a meal together. 

Christ's love and grace overwhelms me  and transforms Peter.  It gave him a mega do-over, and after that beachside feast, Peter is on fire for the Lord.  He goes on to heal the sick, preach to thousands, and eventually die for his faith, but not before leading even his jailers to Christ.

(I wonder what would happen if I kept my mouth shut and cooked breakfast more often?)

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are so forgiving and kind.  It amazes us how You treated the one who denied You, but it also shows us that You are all about do-overs.  We could all use one  -  another chance to get it right.   Thank You that our failures will never have the final say when we accept Your invitation.  In Your name, Amen~