READING: Mark 14-16
Simon Peter is one of my favorite New Testament characters. Primarily because he’s just “real,” I relate to him. His passion inspires me. His failures remind me that I, too, am feeble. His gracious return from a fall is encouraging to me. And, I think we sometimes fail to remember that all the disciples struggled at some point in following Jesus—particularly when the costs of following Him escalated.
We know Peter clearly affirmed that he would go to prison and death for Jesus; in fact, he “kept insisting” his position. I’m convinced he meant the words at the time—evidenced by his willingness to defend Jesus in the garden—but we also know the rest of the story. Within hours, he did what he had said he would never do.
What catches my attention today, though, is that all the disciples made the same claim Peter made (Mark 14:31), yet all of them fled (Mark 14:50). They did exactly what Jesus said they would do: they all fell away. What gives me even more pause today is the reminder that we’re all susceptible to fleeing when the fire gets hot.
All of us. Any of us, in fact.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: How do you think you would react under the pressure of persecution?
PRAYER: “God, guard me from taking wrong steps when following You is tough.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Luke 1-3
