54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. 55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied [a]Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, [b]the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster [c]crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Luke 22:54-62
Prayer, journaling, devotional – Luke 22:54-62. Peter denies Jesus and weeps bitterly. Three years Peter walked with Christ, witnessed miracles, prayed, and learned. He was declared the rock upon Jesus would build His church. Many times Peter boldly rose to defend Jesus without hesitation, yet now he cowers and hides due to the foothold he gave Satan though disobedience.
He slept when Jesus told him to pray. He followed Jesus after the arrest even though He argued for the disciples to go their own way while He was arrested. Had Jesus wanted Peter to be with Him, all He needed to do was not heal Malchus’s ear. Instead He performed one last miracle and spared Peter a fate beside Him, for now at least.
After the third denial, the rooster crowed signaling the dawn of a new day, and with one look, Jesus brought Peter to repentance. I don’t believe He wanted His disciples to see any of what was to come, perhaps to spare them? All but John would have violent ends for their faith.
I think of all the times I”ve had my own moments of denial or doubt, and generally have been corrected quickly when I see God move in the slightest which immediately brought me conviction and turned me back to Him. My sharp tongue usually reaps the quickest turnaround these days as moments after some inappropriate humor or sarcasm slips out I realize my sin and repent.
We are to heed Him, follow Him, and lean on Him. His ways are not our ways, they are greater than our ways, all we must do is have faith and follow His lead.