Lent Day 40

by Jacob Rogers

Mark 14:66-72

And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

You know what? I’m scared. I feel like everything is out of control: school, family, work, politics, the media. I look at all of my responsibilities, where I have very little margin for error, and I just feel overwhelmed sometimes, and yet I make mistakes and make things worse.

  It’s possible you feel this way too. Maybe it feels like literally everything is collapsing around you. Your work is insane. Your family is too much. You and your spouse have been irritated with one another. Finances are shaky. Even your own body is in mutiny, and you are hurting and exhausted. Everything you do just seems to be a mistake, and you’re scared it’s all going to blow up. 

I wonder if Peter felt this way when Jesus, the man he had given up everything for, was suddenly taken from him in the middle of the night. What kind of terror must have seized him when an armed crowd marched up with one of his own friends leading the way. It’s not hard to imagine what might have gone through his head: 

“Wait, is Judas with these guys? Are they trying to take Jesus away? No, No, NO!” As instinct kicked in, he attacked. Apparently this was a mistake, however. Jesus already knew this would happen and went without a fight.

So what does Peter do? Stop and pray? Turn on Hillsong? Ummm... no. First he runs... scared. Then, getting to a safe distance, he follows the crowd into town, and with Jesus on trial, he messes up again... repeatedly. 

Girl:     “Wait, aren’t you with the Nazarene?”

Peter:     “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Girl:     “Didn’t y’all see him with Jesus?”

Peter:     “You really have me confused with someone else.”.

Another:  “Oh come on! You were with him! You’re from Galilee!”

Peter:      “I swear! I have never met this man!” 

Peter is scared, and he lies. So is it over? Does he just get rejected, his life falling to pieces? No. He remembers that Jesus already knew this would happen. He remembers and weeps. But they were tears of healing. Tears of repentance. Tears of reconciliation. Jesus already knew, and he hadn’t given up on Peter. 

So what? 

Well, when we lost it and yelled the other day, Jesus already knew. 

When our coworkers turned against us, Jesus already knew. 

When we stopped praying, Jesus already knew. 

When we messed up, repeatedly, Jesus already knew. 

He has redeemed us. He is remaking us. And he hasn’t rejected us, because you know what? 

He knows what we will be on the day we stand before him in glory. Perfect.

Hey guys! I’m Jacob Rogers. My wife, April, and our daughters, Zoe & Lydia, and I have been a part of the Village family since 2017. You don’t see us right now because we are in Wisconsin where I am a first year seminary student at Nashotah House Theological Seminary. I am a Postulant for Holy Orders with the Jurisdiction of Armed Forced and Chaplaincy. My prayer is to one day be pastoring in a local church as well as serving as a chaplain in the Army National Guard. If you want to be added to our quarterly news letter, feel free to email me at jacobrogers07@gmail.com.