Day 38 - The Denial - More of Jesus Devotional

The Denial.

Rachel Hanson

“And Peter remembered the word of Jesus [and] he went out and wept bitterly” 

(Matthew 26:75).

Peter. The Rock. He who holds the keys of the Kingdom. Peter. Also the one who needs to be reminded to stay focused on Jesus to keep from sinking, reprimanded for lacking faith.

Aware of His own impending arrest, Jesus warns Peter, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times” (Matthew 26:34). Peter responds, “Oh no, not me.” Yet he does. And each time he does he gets more and more agitated. The first time he is recognized as a disciple and denies Jesus he tries to remain casual, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” By the third denial, he’s cursing and swearing (26:74). Listening to Peter I hear a child ridden with pride, guilt, and denial: “I can do it!” (In this case, be strong on his own, no matter the pressure) and “It wasn’t me!” Instead of asking for Jesus’ help when Jesus says he knows Peter’s character, Peter puts up a front, acting stronger than he is. Then he allows fear to overcome his relationship with and faithfulness to Jesus.

Instead of relying on himself and fearing men, Peter needed to draw closer to Jesus, asking for help and praying for more strength through Christ. He needed to listen more to Jesus who tried to warn him. He needed more faith that standing by Jesus would lead to the better ending. After he repents, after the Resurrection, he becomes strong and fearless, leading others to Christ, and more effective for the Kingdom.

Questions:

Do you need to listen more closely to Jesus or take what you hear from Him more seriously?

Have you denied a calling or a conviction out of fear or weakness?

Can you recall a time when you experienced increased fruit because you asked for more strength and grace instead of responding with, “I can do it! [on my own]”