Thanks for joining us on this journey of building a consistent habit of reading our Bibles every day. The Bible reading plan we are using this year can be found here: One Year Bible or here on the Bible app. As always, if you miss a day, don’t feel compelled to go back and catch up. Just skip it and start back on today’s date. I am reading the NLT this year, but feel free to use whatever version you prefer. Now here are some thoughts from today’s readings:
Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
– Matthew 26:74
As with most stories in the Bible, it seems so easy to judge Peter’s actions. “I will never deny You,” he said to Jesus. Then 3 times he denies him. Can you believe that guy?
I can. “I’ll never do that again,” I say to Jesus. But then I do. Sometimes 3 times in row… Sometimes more. The truth is, we are all in Peter’s boat. As believers, we all claim that Jesus is Lord of our lives, but then we end up denying our own testimony. It’s not that we are saying, “I don’t know Him,” like Peter did. It’s when our actions or words don’t line up with Jesus being Lord. That’s how we most often deny Him.
The great news is, this isn’t the end of the story for Peter, nor for us. Jesus specializes in turning the deniers and sinners into world changers! And that’s good news, because that’s what the whole lot of us are. Just like Jesus would later use Peter to help build the early Church, He is going to use you and I to build the Church today. We need only repent, maybe through tears like Peter did, and then get back to following Jesus as Lord!
In what areas of your life or by what words or actions might you be denying Jesus as Lord?