again, or right smack dab in the middle of trouble...again, sometimes my fault, sometimes...
well it just seems to be my speciality. I have a friend who always used to tell me that they
couldn't come to visit me until they found their umbrella, cause it seems I live under a black
cloud! If there's trouble in the vicinity, I don't have to go looking for it, it will find me!
There is someone in the Bible that I always seem to feel sympathy for, because he seems to
be so much like me...that would be Peter. Peter seemed to have a special way of getting
into trouble, when he really was just trying to do what was right. He always seemed to
act and speak before he thought things through. I never find myself judging poor Peter
because I'm guilty many times of being the same way.
Some might view Peter as a real screw-up, but let me tell you something, Jesus loved Peter,
and He used him. I'm so glad that God uses screw-ups, if He didn't many of us would have
nothing to do!
Matthew 4:18 - 20 "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren,
Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they
were fishers. And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of
men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him."
Right from the beginning, Peter had a heart that was open to the Lord Jesus. It doesn't
say that Peter thought about following the Lord, that he had to go and talk it over with
others. No, it says that straightway he left what he was doing and followed the Master.
Peter had a heart that was tender towards spiritual things. How many times do we
harden our hearts when the Lord wants to lead us to go somewhere or talk to someone?
Say what you want about Peter, he was young, brash, rough, but he was open to the
Lord.
Matthew 14:25- 29 "And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them,
walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were
troubled saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus
spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter
answered him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.
And He said, Come."
We often read this account in Matthew and find ourselves piously put out with Peter,
because when he did leave the boat and join the Lord in the raging sea, he started to
sink. Peter had a desire to be with his Lord, even if that meant being in the churning
waters of a storm. Do we have a desire to be in the presence of the Lord, even if it means
leaving the safety of where we are and stepping out into a storm of trials? Yes, it's true
that Peter's faith failed when he took his eyes off the Master's face and focused on the
circumstances he found himself in. But don't fault him for this, many of us wouldn't even
have gotten out of the boat!
We need have no fear of the storms we find ourselves in. We read in verses 30 & 31,
"But when he (Peter) saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to
sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched for His
hand..." The Lord was right beside Peter even though Peter took his eyes off of Him.
And the Lord immediately answered Peter's call for help. Our Lord is right beside
us, ready to help us whenever we need Him. I'm sure that this is a lesson that Peter
never forgot!
In Matthew 26 we find another account of Peter making a mess of things. The Lord
Jesus had just told the disciples that they would all betray Him that night. Dear Peter,
his heart is always wanting to please the Lord. We find him here in this passage
vehemently protesting this statement.
Matthew 26:33 "Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be
offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended." And again in verse 35,
"Peter said unto Him, Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee."
We are all very familiar with what transpired that night. Peter did deny the Lord
three times. Peter's heart again was in the right place. He loved his Lord and
wanted to be there for Him. We see in the Garden of Gethsemane that Peter was
one of the three that He took with Him to pray. Peter fell asleep. Then we find in
John chapter 18 verses 10 & 11, "Then Simon Peter, having a sword drew it,
and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's
name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the
sheath: the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" Here
Peter again acts without thinking, and the Lord reprimands him for his actions.
I think you will all agree with me when I say that Peter is having a really bad day!
I am sure that in Matthew 26:75, when Peter leaves the courtyard after hearing the
cock crow and realizing he just denied his Lord three times, his bitter weeping
includes these other two failures of the night as well.
Peter seemed to be always messing up...O, but Jesus loved him.
Mark 16:6 & 7 "And he (the angel at the sepulchre) saith unto them (the woman
who had come to anoint the Lord's body) Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of
Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen: He is not here: behold the place
where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He
goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you."
There is something in this passage that is so special, it always brings a tear to my
eyes when I read it. Peter was specifically named, "His disciples and Peter." Why
do you suppose that the angel made specific mention of Peter? I think that by this
time poor Peter was so depressed over his sin, that Jesus wanted him to know that
He desired him to come with the rest of the disciples. He was wanted and he was
loved. Can you imagine how Peter felt when he received word that, not only was
Jesus alive, but that He wanted to see him...despite his failures Jesus desired to see
him!
We find Peter very prominent in the Book of Acts in the start of the church. Did Peter
fail the Lord? Yes, many times. Peter seemed to be the kind of person that had to
learn things the hard way. But he did learn from his mistakes. Did this affect how
the Lord Jesus loved him? No, Peter was very loved by the Lord. Did his mistakes
mean that he couldn't serve the Lord? No! Peter was used mightily by the Lord. And
Peter died for the Lord.
A lot of times we fail the Lord. We feel defeated, that we aren't any good to the Lord.
But we are. "Peter wept bitterly" (Matthew 26:75). Peter repented of his failures.
When we come to the Lord with repentant hearts for the way we messed up, sinned,
He will forgive and restore us, just as He did for Peter. No one can is beyond the
forgiveness of God! We are wanted and loved just as Peter was!
Perhaps today you're discouraged. You've failed the Lord...again, but it's not over!
Take a lesson from Peter today. This man failed the Lord time and time again, yet
we find in Acts 5:42 that he and John were "Daily in the temple, and in every
house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." God can still use you!
God knows that we are just flesh, and will fail. However, when a heart is given over
to God, it fuels a life surrendered to God.
May I encourage you today to keep on for the Lord. Leave the failures of yesterday
behind you. Learn from them and then go on in the service of your Heavenly Father.
Philippians 3:13 & 14 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but
this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."
My heart has no desire to stay,
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Tho' some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim is higher ground.
I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.
I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray till heav'n I found,
"Lord, lead me on to higher ground."
Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on heaven's table land.
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
Johnson Oatman Jr.
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