Day 29. Strength Through Weakness (Matthew 26:31-35)

Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial

31 Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
"'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."

33 Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will."

34 "Truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."

35 But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same.

*  *  *  *

As a Christian I feel the shelter and protection of the Holy Spirit, God's way beside me, within me, directing me.

During my walk, my journey through grey areas and life's many highlights of milestones, celebrations, reflections, happiness and sadness, yearning and contentment, Its the knowing that God's way is the real and true thing, the constant thing to hold on to. 

Despite the countless distractions and callings of the world I stand and look toward God's horizon, the one he left illustrated for me through the life of Jesus who ties me to the knowing, of this right way, the long way round that feels both awkward and comfortable at the same time.  The knowledge on this journey is the clear reminder of an impossibly consistent God caring for a constantly falling people. The denial of what we know to be true under the pressure of the world’s many temptations presenting us a mirror so as to distract us and let us bask in our own glory & greatness tears and pressures for the easy selfish way out of every situation. 

The realization of just how quickly broken and stolen away I can become from the one true path due to a reliance in my own strength, just as illustrated by Peter's denial and the prediction of Jesus is the very thing that brings me back to the path. . .

Denying the true thing won’t make it disappear but through what the world might see as weakness and humble in character I see as adventure, and on this adventure through all the getting up and the falling down and the getting up again I will try to break off the piece of me that hold's my own prideful worldly strength of “not falling”, in favor of the long forever learning way, the forever growing closer way, the way with Jesus.

Lachlan