Forgiveness After Disappointment
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, help me to realize how much you care for me even when I let you down. Amen
“About an hour later another asserted, ‘Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.’ Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:59-62 NIV
“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ Again, Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’ The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’ John 21:15-17
REFLECT:
Growing up one of our life commandments established by my Dad was that you don’t do anything that will embarrass the family, particularly your Mom. The family was very important, and our behavior was to reflect that commandment. This concept was common among the families of our friends.
One family’s son broke that rule. Shortly after their son George turned 18, he was in a car headed to the Lake of the Ozarks with his friends, drinking beer and throwing the empties out the window. A police officer saw them and pulled them over. Kansas’ age for drinking beer was 18, but Missouri’s was 21. He ended up in jail and had to call his folks to bail him out. When his parents got there, he would only let his father come and get him out of jail. He knew he had embarrassed his family, particularly his mother, and couldn’t bear to face her.
I surmise that Peter felt much the same way as George did when he realized how he had let Jesus down by denying him not once but three times. He went out and wept bitterly because he saw the disappointment on Christ’s’ face when Jesus looked at him.
Jesus wasn’t through with Peter yet. In the John 21:15-17 passage Jesus reinstates Peter by asking him three times if Peter loved him and he said yes, each time, one for each time Peter denied Christ prior to the crucifixion. Christ forgave Peter and ordained him to carry out the Lord’s mission to the world.
APPLY:
We must remember that our disappointing acts are not unknown to Jesus. Prior to Peter’s denial at the trial, Jesus told him, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
(Luke 22:31-32 NIV) Jesus was praying for Peter, and he had plans for Peter to lead out in strengthening his brother Apostles.
Jesus is praying for us even when he knows we are going to disappoint. Not only does he pray for us; he has plans for us to serve him.
CLOSING PRAYER:
God, guide me to turn to you in the times I let you down and ask your forgiveness. Amen
WORSHIP: