John 18:27 Peter is warming himself by a fire and denies that he even knows Jesus. The rooster crows. And the question our LORD is asking Peter and you and me is this: Do you love Me? Do you love Me? Do you love Me?
Circumstances do not make or break us but reveal what is already resting in our hearts. We want to be warm by the fire, literally. Safety. Comfort. A life free from pain of rejection, pain of betrayal, pain of loss. Jesus did not organize his life around his losses. No unresolved loss for our LORD even in the midst of the most horrendous suffering. Oh, to live a life free from my loss. I so default to the mentality: What's in this for me? God doesn't want me to better manage my loss, He wants me to let the loss go.
David did not organize his life around his immense loss. As he draws in his knees to breathe his last breath, David commands his son, Solomon: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways.. David's own children brought him great sorrow yet he was controlled by a Bigger Story. Forty years on the throne and David could tell stories of betrayal and loss that most men never face. May our stories be lifted up into the Higher Story of our life.
Bev, you put thoughts into words so well. I love what you said about circumstances not breaking us but reavealing what is already resting in our hearts.
ReplyDeleteHow true! We walk around carrying bags of garbage we don't want to deal with so we just shove it way in the back of our hearts.
Oh, it's still there, rotting and stinking. Then when something pierces the garbage bag of self, we either have to deal with it or bury it deeper.
I want to have a clean heart, a sparkling clean heart. So, it's time to roll up the sleeves, put on old clothes and get to work.
Love you! You really motiviate me to be better, and to look deep inside my heart.
Right now I identify with Peter, not in his denial, but in his wanting to fight, in his fear of what was happening, and in his desire to want everything to be all right. I take great comfort in our Lord's response. He loved with such tenderness and mercy, wanting Peter's trust and for him to let go and allow God's plan to unfold. He wants me to do the same. He has never failed me and I will continue to run to Him.
ReplyDelete