Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalm 25:5
"Challenge" is a devotional feature with a Biblical challenge for the day, that is written by Bob Foster of the Navigators, and hosted by Harold Hall on the radio. You may read or listen (Real Audio) to Challenge:
Someone has said, "Success is not final, and failure is not fatal." Peter's denial is the story of a strong man that flops - a real-life testimony that natural endowments are not a guarantee against moral and spiritual default.
When a man is blown up with self conceit and ego drive, he is like a balloon filled with hot air. Peter was a heavyweight that fizzled fantastically, says Bob Foster. At the point of pride, he was pricked, and his whole world caved in on him. Note the statements in the 18th chapter of John:
Peter smote the servant, cutting off his ear; then Peter followed Jesus from afar off; then, Peter stood and warmed himself; and, Peter cursed and denied.
This all happened the night before Calvary. Seemingly, he was knocked down for the count of ten. His strengths became his weaknesses. His personality was his pitfall. He opened his mouth and stuck both feet in. A little girl makes him a coward. A cold heart leads Peter's feet to the enemy fire. The Galilean fisherman miscalculates his ability with a Roman sword; and lips that once praised now turn to cursing and denial. But, with this man, I can identify more than with any of the other apostles, says Bob Foster. How quick I am to condemn in others that which reigns supreme in my own heart and soul.
Allow me to share with you from William Barkley: the first thing to remember about Peter is not his failure, but the courage that kept him near to Jesus when everyone else had run away. His failure could have happened to a man of superlative courage. True, Peter failed. But he failed in a situation in which none of the other disciples even dared to face. He failed not because he was a coward, but because he was brave.
Failure is not final. Peter redeemed himself. Legend has it that people in Jerusalem imitated the crow of a rooster whenever Peter passed by on the street. But Peter had tenacity because he had been converted. He started from failure and attained to true greatness.
Will the real Peter please stand up? He did in the upper room. He did when he drew the sword. He did when he followed afar off so that Jesus did not have to go it alone. It was not the true Peter that cracked beneath the tension. And that is just what Jesus could see.
The tremendous thing about God is that he sees beneath our failures. He sees the real person. He loves us in spite of what we do - just because he loves us -- not for what we are, or what we have in us to be.
Just when I think I have it made in the shade on the downhill grade, then I fail in a prostrating smash. The answer is not in the personality failure, but in the Pentecostal success. One day, Mr. Peter is Mr. Failure of the First Century. Then, through God's grace, and the forgiveness found in the love of God, our champion gets up off the canvas and turns failure into success.
Peter stands before the hometown crowd full of unfeigned humility, possessed of an indomitable courage, and manifested a passionate devotion for his Christ. And what the Lord did for Peter, He will do for you.
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