Amazing Grace - Luke 22:61

Wednesday February 24

Amazing Grace - Luke 22:61 (NIV)

"The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter"

As a child I remember thinking that if I was Eve in the garden of Eden, I would never have taken a bite of the fruit!  Or, if I had been Jonah I would have obeyed God and never ended up in the belly of a fish.  Or, if I had been a disciple I would not have run away in the garden.  I had no idea of the deception of sin and how easily we are tripped up by it.   

For the disciples, they were eye witnesses of Jesus' miracles, and yet they just didn't get who He truly was or why He came to earth. Instead, they argued among themselves at least three times about who was the greatest among them.  What a shock to Peter to find himself denying Jesus not once, but three times!  Scripture says he went out and wept bitterly.  He had failed Jesus.

In our Christian walk, we too can recount how we began with confidence in the flesh (Me and Jesus...we make a great team!) only to realize the painful truth, that in us dwells no good thing.  Then, we truly begin to see how amazing God's love, grace and redemptive power is at work in us through the Holy Spirit!  What a comfort to know that the One who sees and knows all things still loves us and commits Himself to us and to our salvation without any conditions.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Teach us to always be willing and ready to acknowledge our sin and to receive Your grace knowing that You embrace us with Your love, and call us always to find our assurance of forgiveness in You. 
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Mary Johnson - Hudson, Wisconsin