Faith and Fear

September 21

(Luke 22:31-34 NIV) ““Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. {32} But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." {33} But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." {34} Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.””

(Luke 22:54-62 NIV) ““Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. {55} But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. {56} A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him." {57} But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said. {58} A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied. {59} About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." {60} Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. {61} 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." {62} And he went outside and wept bitterly.””

Peter’s denial of Christ is legendary. Some say he lost his faith, but that’s not true. Peter didn’t lose his faith, but for a brief moment in time he lost hope that things were going to turn out well, and fear overpowered his faith. He disowned Jesus publicly, but Jesus did not disown him. Christ’s gaze broke Peter’s heart, and in shame and remorse he wept bitterly over his failure. But with God, failure is never final. At one time or another, all of us have backed away from Jesus, distancing ourselves from Him. In our own ways, big and small, we have disowned Him, denied Him, and deserted Him. That does not mean we have lost our faith. It means that for a time, our hope was diminished, and our fear grew stronger than our faith. God’s solution is not to disown us, but to strengthen us. Look Jesus in the eye, repent, and allow God to restore your hope and strengthen your faith. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day