READING:
One-year plan: Leviticus 5-7, Matthew 26:57-75
Two-year plan: Genesis 47-48, Matthew 14:34-15:9
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Three times, Peter had denied knowing Jesus. He had said just hours before that he would never do that, but now he had. He even cursed in an out-of-control way to convince others he was not a Christ-follower. It was surely a dramatic picture.
Then a rooster crowed—just like Jesus had said would happen. And, then Peter “remembered the words Jesus had spoken, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times’” (Matt 26:75).
Peter remembered the words of Jesus—but only after he had already fallen headlong into sin.
On one hand, it’s good that Peter remembered the words at all. It was the rooster’s crowing that triggered that memory, and it was that memory that reduced the rugged fisherman to tears. Recalling Jesus’ words brought Peter to the end of himself.
On the other hand, how might the story have been different had Peter remembered Jesus’ words when the temptation toward denial first hit him? The longer it is between our temptation and our remembering Jesus’ words, the more likely it is we are going to fall. It’s no wonder, then, that the psalmist wrote, “I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you” (Psa 119:11)—drilling God’s Word deeply into our soul lessens that in-between time.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Are you treasuring God’s Word in your heart?
PRAYER: “Father, grant me grace to close the door of temptation by immediately remembering Your word.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Leviticus 8-10, Matthew 27:1-31
Two-year plan: Genesis 49-50, Matthew 15:10-20
