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When Peter denied Jesus three times, I wonder how he felt. Guilty? Shamed? Afraid? I mean, you just told the King of the Universe, the dude you've been following and studying under, that you didn't know him and didn't want to be associated with him. Ummm...ouch?
Jesus is full of grace. He is grace, and with that grace, he let Peter again declare whether or not he loved him. But this time, Peter was hurt because Jesus kept asking! That's when Peter understood. Peter used like, as in friendship, then another like, and finally, then love to respond. It's funny how there are so many ways to say love in another language, yet our English language has perverted this word "love" that we use so often. I believe this exchange is displayed beautifully here.
That's not the end of it. Peter goes on to say he'll die for Jesus, and this is shown through the verse...
"I tell you the truth, when you were younger and you dressed yourself and went where you wanted, but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, Follow me!" [John 21:18-19]
Even in death, knowing Jesus is leading him to it, he said he would glorify him. That takes love and courage to admit, and I pray that I will be able to say that too. Not just from the mouth, but from the heart. Peter is able to glorify God through life, and through death, even though he told the big guy, "I DON'T KNOW YOU!" Dang!
I pray that this will be my prayer:
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exacted in my body, whether by life or death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." [Philippians 1:20]
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You are one of a kind-designed to glorify God as only you can.
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