March 23

Matthew 26:69-75 (Click to see scripture)

Bible in One Year Passages:

Journal Entry

Scripture

Peter Denies Jesus

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean." 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you mean." 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." 72 And again he denied it with an oath: "I do not know the man." 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you." 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

Observation

Here is Peter, before becoming one of the greatest New Testament figures, denying Jesus 3 times and weeping bitterly because of what he just did. Can you just imagine how badly he felt, especially after being told he would do this by Jesus himself. Peter shows us it's not the failures that count but how we come back from those failures that matters.

Application

There are times in my life where I feel like I am taking one step forward and two steps back in my walk with God. At those times, I just want to give up and call it quits. I wish that God would just take me away so that I don't have to "fight the good fight" or "run the race" anymore. There is a comfort knowing that even Peter failed in his walk with God. Peter who spent time with Jesus wasn't able to "win" all the time but it was his faith in Jesus and Jesus' love for him that made him one of the greatest New Testament figures.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that as live out my faith, that I may continue to keep my eyes focused on You especially during my times of struggle.

--Jae Yim