From Matthew 26:69-75

Last week one of our devotions discussed Matthew 26:30-35 where Jesus explains that Peter is going to deny Him three times before the rooster crows.  In today’s verses, that is exactly what happens.  A servant girl approaches him and claims that he was with Jesus and Peter says, “I don’t know what you mean.” Then another servant girl says that he was with Jesus and Peter says, “I don’t know the man.” Then one of the bystanders approaches him and says, “certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Peter invokes a curse on himself and swears that he doesn’t know Jesus.

Then the rooster crows.

It is my hope that no one reading this has ever been so bold in their denial of Jesus.  Especially for those of us who live in America, claiming publicly to be Christian doesn’t automatically bring trouble down on your head, denying Jesus so explicitly doesn’t happen very frequently.  That being said, we sometimes can deny Jesus with how we go about our daily lives.  There is a term for this, practical atheism, where we intellectually believe in God but live most of our lives as if He doesn’t matter at all.  We are called to a more faithful witness than that, to let every word we speak and every action we take reflect our relationship with God Almighty.  We are called to speak our faith out loud, to share it with the people around us, not to quietly keep it to ourselves.

And each of us falls short from time to time, some of us fall short more often than not; however, in John 21:15-19 we see hope.  Even for his explicit denial of Jesus, Peter receives forgiveness.  Even when we fail to be witnesses to our God, even when we fail to allow our faith to influence our lives, we can return to God and ask for forgiveness – forgiveness that He will unfailingly deliver.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses that God graciously forgives us when we deny Him with our words and actions.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to allow our faith to shape our lives.

Topics to Pray About:                                                              

  • Thank God for His overwhelming mercy and willingness to identify with us
  • Confess to God the times where you live as a practical atheist
  • Ask God for the Holy Spirit to move in your life and in the people around you

In His Service,

J. LeBorious