denial | My Everyday God

Lauren and her rooster picture

As the disciples scattered and Jesus was led away, Peter followed from a distance. He sneaked into the courtyard where inside Jesus was being held. Peter was scared. He was scared for His best friend, and scared for his own life. So, when a person approached Peter, recognizing him as Jesus’s disciple, he denied it. A second time, Peter distanced himself from Jesus. The third time, Peter angrily and vehemently denied all connection. He was operating out of fear rather than faith.

Suddenly a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord. Jesus had warned him this would happen, and Peter wouldn’t believe him. At that moment Jesus looked out and locked eyes with his defeated disciple, and Peter ran away, weeping bitterly.

Tonight, we made rooster pictures, complete with tail feathers. We talked and prayed for God’s help to remember His Word, and stay true to Jesus.

Read about Peter denying Jesus in Luke 22:54-62.

Learn more about 2 Weeks 2 the Cross and explore ways to experience Easter in a meaningful way with your family.

Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away because of Me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away! ” “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times! ” “Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You! ” And all the disciples said the same thing.
– Matthew 26:31-35

We are so sure of our faithfulness. We will never leave. We will always love. We will be strong. We won’t fail.

As Peter said, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away! Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You!”

In those confident moments and declarations of commitment, is our boasting based on our own resolve? The focus is often on our own power rather than God’s.

God knows where we are weak and when we will falter. He wants us to cling to His goodness and faithfulness rather than our own.

His grace is more powerful than our will-power. And His loving-kindness will hold us tightly, even when we lose our grip.

Who we can be truly sure of is Jesus.