THE REFUGE
DEVOTIONAL
Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”
John 13:37 NASBS
How joyous it is for man to know that God is the one who pursues his deceitful heart with grace, subdues it, and brings him to the cross to see the salvation in Jesus Christ. It is at that moment the heart becomes alive and with great conviction cries, “Thou hast saved me; Thine and only Thine, I am: Oh, the cleansing blood has reached me, me the chief of sinners!!! Thou has redeemed me from darkness and brought me into Thy marvelous light!!!” And now with great zeal that agitates the soul to such perplexities that it longs to subdue the flesh, he embarks upon the journey of holiness to know the living God. Brothers and sisters in Christ if you have been saved by the grace of God, you have been saved to the uttermost. But as on any journey you will have to travel through the rocky crags of this life. The afflictions of the enemy’s arrows will try to invade the heart that has been made anew. It is at this very moment if we are not careful, the very desires that moved our affections to trust in Christ, can also lead us to trust in our own strength.
Peter was a man whom God chose from the foundations of the world to do great work. It would be through him that the Lord would prepare him to be the leading spokesman of all the apostles, but this preparation would come with great cost. For the Lord would have to remove the pride that dwelt in the very depths of Peter’s heart. It was here the Lord would do his greatest work upon this man, for after three years of walking with him the Lord begins to prepare his disciples for the sufferings that are about to come upon Him. Jesus told Peter and the other disciples concerning His death, “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered,“ Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.
Later that night the prophecy of Jesus came true. Peter denied his master, joining in the ranks of those who wanted Him dead. Peter realized that in the height of his own strength he became weaker than he had ever before, for he had done exactly what he had planned never to do. That night through many tears Peter learned more about the human heart than he had ever known before. He knew that he could see the miracles of Christ and walk with God himself for three years and still deny him. The Lord loved Peter very much and after He was raised from the dead he went to Peter. It was there that He recommissioned him into the service He had prepared for him. This historical account concerning Peter’s life has been preserved for us in the Holy Scriptures. It is here that we may understand the depth of sin that lies hidden in our very own hearts.
May God give us wisdom that we may learn never to put our hope in our own strength.