When God Says …
“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilæan. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:59-62 KJV).
As our Lord Jesus warned during supper, Apostle Peter denies his Master three times. This is affirmed by the rooster’s third crow. And our Lord Jesus surrounded by His captors turns to look at him hearing the rooster crows three times, causing Peter to weep bitterly. The Lord’s look was not one of condemnation or anger, but a gaze of unfailing love saying, "I still love you, Peter."
Apostle Peter fails because he relied on his own strength and pride, declaring he would die for our Lord rather than resting in His grace and protection. Our Lord has poured upon Peter His pre-emptive grace. Before the failure, our Lord told Peter in Luke 22:31-32 that He had already prayed for his faith not to fail. He prayed for him knowing he would fall, securing his restoration ahead of time, as he rests in the Lord's grace.
When their eyes met, our Lord did not glare in disappointment. His gaze conveyed deep grace and love, shattering Peter's self-reliance, producing in him true softening and yielding to the Lord’s grace bringing to tears. Hence, later, when Peter recognized our Lord at the shore, he jumped into the water toward Him (John 21:7)—driven not by paralyzing guilt or sin-consciousness, but by the confidence that our Jesus Christ loved him unconditionally despite his mistakes.
As the Lord loves Peter, He loves us too! He loves the world (John 3:16). This is not a love that we can earn. It is a love out of His grace. We can’t earn this love that’s offered to Peter and all of us. This was offered to Judas, but was rejected like many are doing. What we must do is receive this love like Peter and all the apostles, with the exception of Judas. We receive it by coming to the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ as we are - no make over, and rest in His grace. This love of our Lord has no bounds. Apostle Paul, who confessed of being the worst of all sinners, testifies as it is written: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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