- Text:”….Peter remembered ….He had said …. Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice… Peter went out, and wept bitterly”. (Luke 22:61-61)
All the world’s a stage’, according to William Shakespeare, ‘and all men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages”. This gives further credence to the fact that life is surely not only a stage with different actors, but need be added that life is also in stages, acts, scenes and phases. One stage of life dovetails into another; in fact, life is a continuum of stages. In view of the unpredictability of human beings, which is a message of caution to everyone, particularly people who are dancing to the Victory songs of today, is to learn from Jesus Christ’s experience on His way to the cross, that human beings are unpredictable and unreliable, and be mindful of the fact that after the Victory song of today, a hymn of betrayal can follow tomorrow. The only person who can and will never change or betray is the Almighty God (Isaiah 49:15-16). As this year’s 40 days lenten journey is ending tomorrow, it is important to continue to stand with Him who is the author and giver of life, and trust in Him alone; anything to the contrary, is an invitation to disappointments, sadness, high blood pressure and sudden death in the changing scenes of life.
Simon Peter was a man whose life and ministry were interspersed with the good, the bad and the ugly.. The event cascading to his call, as recorded in Luke 5:1-11, brought him out as a man of diligence, selflessness and faith. He obeyed Jesus Christ mindless of toiling all night without catching anything. He cast aside the business failure of the previous night and surrendered his boat and services for the spread of the word of God at the requisition of Jesus Christ. When the time for Jesus’ crucifixion was near, Jesus informed Simon Peter that “….. this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice”. Peter replied Him that “…Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples” (Matthew 26:34-35). True to Simon Peter’s words, few hours later, Judas led the Chief priest and others to arrest Jesus Christ, Peter in a show of courage “…. stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear” (Matthew 26:51). Although he had displayed that act of gallantry, he no sooner thereafter, in the changing scene of life, he became a turncoat and manifested spinelessness. Peter betrayed Jesus thrice to the extent that at a time he denied Him with an oath and at another time he denied he ever knew Jesus Christ cursing and swearing (Matthew 26:72-74). Peter manifested disloyalty to the man who few days ago he joined the multitude to herald into Jerusalem with songs of “Hosannah!” – the world and its stages!
Apostle Paul too, despite being a giant in faith, was once in a very hellacious state that defied human assistance at Asia. There, his travail, as recorded in Acts 19:22-41, was so serious that when the uproar ceased he departed to Macedonia following opposition which arose because of The way (Acts 9:2). In fact, there was a man called Demetrius, a silversmith, who was making shrines for Artemis and was losing business because of the Way (Acts 16:16, 19). Demetrius ganged up with other workers of similar occupation and they raised up great animosity against Paul. He was in a quagmire between who to follow – himself, loyalists, friends or God. He was helpless and hopeless but he “…. had the sentence of death …. not to trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead” (2Corinthians 1:9). Paul sentenced himself in that changed phase of life to the fact that no matter what, he would not trust in himself or his ability or anyone but to repose his trust in God who alone has the power to raise from the dead.
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It is unfortunate that many people in the world today have faith or trust in ephemeral beings, things and positions – that are here today and not there tomorrow. In order to stay afloat in this world and be able to steer the affairs of life to where God desires to take you to, you must eschew the attitudinal traits of the Israelites who “…… committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13). You must depend absolutely on the leading of the Holy Spirit and avoid putting trust in your education or knowledge (cf Acts 27:9 ff) or depend on any man because human beings alter their stands and positions at frequent will (Jeremiah 17:5-6; Micah 7:5-6). No matter how sound or seemingly dependable a medical practitioner is for instance, Doctors have their limits (Mark 5:25-34). Even parents are not omnipotent and can fail (Isaiah 49:15-16).
It doesn’t matter what you may be passing through now, hold tightly to Jesus Christ and remember that after the suffering of the Good Friday and/or the seeming silence of the Father on Good Saturday, there shall come the Supernatural intervention of the Father on Easter Sunday. Dear beloved, in whatever dire situation you may be in today, as you put your trust in God, I join my faith with yours that He would send help to you and raise you ‘from the dead’, to the community of the living. You shall rise again! You shall be lifted and you shall be celebrated in the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Father, thank you for this year’ Lenten season that is ending, Lord give me grace to continually depend on you in this uncertain world and times, in Jesus’ name
