Peter: with the One who restores broken people

One on One in His Passion—Day 13

Why did I say that? Why didn’t I do something? Be honest, you’ve asked yourself this, too.

Like the rest of the team, Peter ran when the soldiers arrested Jesus, but he didn’t go far. He watched everything unfold from the shadows, keeping an eye on Jesus until He disappeared behind the locked doors of the high priest’s palace.

Even then, Peter stayed close. He warmed his hands around a small fire in the courtyard.

Perhaps when someone poked the fire and a blaze lit Peter’s face, a servant girl called him out.

Hey, you’re with that Galilean! I know you!

That moment in Caiaphas’ courtyard marked the greatest crisis of Peter’s life. For a lifetime He must have wished he could snatch back his words.

“I don’t know Him!” He spit out not once, but three times. Just hours before, he said to Jesus, I’ll die with you, Master! Others will turn away, Lord, but I won’t.

Somewhere in the night, a rooster stretched its neck and announced his failure. Just then, Peter looked over his shoulder and caught the eye of the One who loved him more than life, passing through the courtyard on His way to the cross.

That moment between sinner and Savior hung in the air like a framed picture.

Peter turned away from the fire and wept. What burned more—the smoke in his eyes or the conviction in his heart? 

Go ahead and be hard on Peter. Talk about how impulsive he was or how he shot off his mouth. But something changed Peter between the devastating moment by this fire and when he stood with the Lord by another fire a couple mornings later.

In those days in-between, Peter’s guilt could have driven him to the cynical edge. (What was I thinking to believe He was the Christ, anyway?) He could have run, never to return. Unbelief could have hardened his heart. For sure, if you don’t deal with sin, it can drive you to an awful place.

But that’s not the Peter we meet three days later rushing into Jesus’ empty tomb, or the Peter who throws himself into the lake to get to Jesus, or the Peter who Jesus pulls aside in private conversation and restores to friendship and ministry.

Did they speak of that awful moment by the fire? That’s between them.

What we do know is Peter’s crisis took him to the right place with God. Sin, rightly understood, prompted repentance. And repentance turned him around. Even after he failed, Peter ran back to the Lord with a whole heart, stronger, more humble, ready for God to take him somewhere new.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve gone too far” . . . let Jesus restore you. You can get up again. Just ask Peter.

And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:756

Tomorrow: One on one with Jesus and the cast of players.

Let’s talk about it:

1.               What are ways you’ve experienced or seen others deal with guilt?

2.               What’s so great about repentance?