Tomorrow is Good Friday, the day that marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, the previous day, He was betrayed by one of His closest disciples, Peter.
Just as Jesus prophesied, Peter disowned Jesus — denying that he even knew Jesus to authorities on three different occasions.
Despite the acts of betrayal, Peter went on to help establish the Early Church, receiving forgiveness and personal redemption. According to Christian tradition, he would later be martyred for his faith.
Bible teacher Beth Moore has shared an insightful thread on Twitter, reminding us all of the power of Peter’s story.
“Mindful this day of Peter and his crushing denials of Christ. Praise God for the man Jesus made of him in the aftermath. It proves that, in Him, failure is NOT a life sentence. The cross of Christ stands eternally fixed, a stake in the ground, between failing and being a failure,” she wrote. “I see few heavier burdens among believers than the crushing weight many continue to bear over previous failure sorrowfully repented of years ago. Example: parents who feel they failed their kids often live the remaining DECADES of their lives—not as having failed but—as FAILURES.”
She continued, “That Thursday night at the Passover table, Jesus knew the difference between a faker (Judas) & a failure (Peter). That failure became a success: 1 of the fiercest forces in NT history. GIVE IT TO JESUS. Every ounce of your failure. Offer it to Him to do w/it whatever He pleases. Let Jesus make of it humility, gratitude, compassion, empathy for others fraught with their own feelings of failure & shame. Lead the way to the cross where Jesus bore it. There, by faith, failures are crucified with Christ & no longer live & trophies of grace walk out of graves.”
Amen.
Mindful this day of Peter and his crushing denials of Christ. Praise God for the man Jesus made of him in the aftermath. It proves that, in Him, failure is NOT a life sentence. The cross of Christ stands eternally fixed, a stake in the ground, between failing and being a failure.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) April 18, 2019
I see few heavier burdens among believers than the crushing weight many continue to bear over previous failure sorrowfully repented of years ago. Example: parents who feel they failed their kids often live the remaining DECADES of their lives-not as having failed but-as FAILURES.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) April 18, 2019
That Thursday night at the Passover table, Jesus knew the difference between a faker (Judas) & a failure (Peter). That failure became a success: 1 of the fiercest forces in NT history. GIVE IT TO JESUS. Every ounce of your failure. Offer it to Him to do w/it whatever He pleases.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) April 18, 2019
Let Jesus make of it humility, gratitude, compassion, empathy for others fraught with their own feelings of failure & shame. Lead the way to the cross where Jesus bore it. There, by faith, failures are crucified with Christ & no longer live & trophies of grace walk out of graves.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) April 18, 2019