PETER FOLLOWED AFAR OFF, Daily Devotional, Thursday, March 14, 2013

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013

18 days to Resurrection Sunday

Luke 22:54 "Peter followed afar off..."

SCRIPTURE READING: LUKE 22:54-62

54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house.  And Peter followed afar off.

55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them.  And Peter said, Man, I am not.

59 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 Galilaean.

60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

61 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.

62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

REFLECTION: He denied Christ. "I know him not!"(Luke 22:57).

Then, he denied Christ again. "I am not!" (Luke 22:58)

Then, he denied Christ again. "I know not what you are saying!" (Luke 22:60)

The rooster crowed as dawn was breaking on the Holy City.  Oh what a day that would be.  Jesus turned away from facing his accusers and engaged Peter's eyes. (Luke 22:61)

A few hours earlier Peter knew that he would never deny Christ. "Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death." (Luke 22:33)  But our compassionate Christ knew what Peter would actually do. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:31,32).

Bitter, scalding tears course down his face as he walks away from the scene of the crime.  Three of the Evangelists tell us that Peter wept.  Two of them tell us that Peter's tears were "bitter." (Matthew 26:75, Luke 22:62).  We have all wept tears like that.  We hate to fail those we dearly love.  We hate to fail ourselves.

Much has been said and written of the distance between Peter and Christ on this fateful night.  We read, "Peter followed afar off."(Luke 22:54).  We cannot help but wonder if Peter would have kept his promise to be faithful if only he had been closer to Christ.

Yet it wasn't where he was--it was who he was, that was his problem.  He was weak.  He was fearful.  And he was inconsistent.  But Jesus loved him. (And Jesus loves us).  And Jesus prayed for him. (And Jesus prays for us.)  He prayed that Peter's faith would not fail.  He prayed that Peter would be converted.  And He prayed that Peter would strengthen his fellow brothers.

Was our Lord's prayer for Peter unanswered? Hardly!

See Peter fifty-three days later, at 9:00 a.m. on the day the Jewish Church celebrates Pentecost.  He is no longer weak--he is empowered.  He is no longer afraid--he is emboldened.  He is no longer inconsistent--his heart is fixed forever on Jesus. 

It had been wonderful to have Christ with him the last three years, but it was far greater to have the "Spirit of Christ" within him that day, and everyday thereafter.  (Romans 8:9-11).

The Lord's prayer was answered.  He had prayed the Peter would be converted and he was!

When the multitudes gathered around the disciples to ask what they should do, Peter answered, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:38ff).

That sanctifying Spirit that so transformed Peter so that wherever he was, who ever he was with, and whatever he was doing, he would be found faithful, is able and willing to so transform us!

Until that day when he himself would die on a cross, Peter praised the Lord for the "living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," that "sanctification of the Spirit," and the keeping "power of God through faith."(1 Peter 1:1-5).  And so should all who have "Christ within, the hope of glory!" (Colossians 1:27).

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, "Whom have I on earth beside Thee, Whom in heaven but Thee." We honor your Word. We love your will. We are forever thankful for the sacrifice of your Son. We rejoice in the presence of your Spirit. Oh Lord God, we are so grateful that just as you were patient, and faithful, and loving to Peter, you have been more than patient, and faithful, and loving to us. May we never take your mercy and grace for granted. Lord we pray that the same Spirit that transformed Peter would transform us. Change who we are we pray. We are thine now, and forever. In Jesus' name, Amen."Our Father, &c”