|
MORNING MEDITATION
Glean the Word: Matthew 16:13-20
Glimpse of Glory: "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." (Luke 24:34)
Jesus' disciples did not rest their faith on an empty tomb alone, but upon their own personal experience of seeing the risen Christ. While Jesus is concerned about the needs of people as a whole, He has particular concern for meeting the needs of His people individually. Our God is a deeply intimate God who desires to have an intimate relationship with each of His children. Our personal confession of Christ is the basis of our salvation. "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10).
As the day of His resurrection wore on Jesus kept to His divine appointment schedule. Earlier in the morning He sent a personal message to Peter, knowing His disciple would need a special word of encouragement. "But go, tell His disciples and Peter" (Mark 16:7, emphasis added). Their final conversation, on the night of the Lord's arrest, was a telling glance from the Lord as Peter had denied his Lord for the third time, just as Jesus had warned (Luke 22:54-62). That night Peter had wept bitterly, but on this day the Lord would turn his weeping into rejoicing. The one who had so confidently confessed that Jesus "is the Christ" earlier in his walk with the Lord, had now failed his Lord so miserably at such a critical hour, because he did not heed Jesus' warning to be watchful unto prayer. Peter had done what most of us do when we walk in the flesh and trust in our own strength and ability, rather than in the Word of God: we leave ourselves exposed to the enemy's attacks and invite failure rather than walking in victory and fullness of life. How grateful we should be that our Lord is there to catch us when we fall, lifting us back up, always willing to restore us to a right relationship with Himself. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). May the Lord's words to Peter serve as encouragement to all believers, that all our trials and temptations are meant to strengthen us and grow us in Christian character so we can be a source of strength to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Praise God that His warnings are framed in promises of restoration: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31-32).
The struggle, trial, and pain that Peter endured in the hours that led up to Jesus' crucifixion, and in the dark hours in the valley of the shadow of death that followed, were a necessary part of the Lord's plan to accomplish His work in shaping Peter into an immovable, solid pillar that would frame the structure of the early church. Let us join our faithful Mediator in His prayers for our fellow believers as they face the hour of trial and temptation, so that they will be transformed into a strong, stable force in God's kingdom building program.
"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
he who goes out weeping carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."
(Psalm 126:6)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
| 
