Like Peter

To me, it's the most wonderful time of the year!  The Spring season is a season of newness all around in Father's creation.  It's a celebration of the winter being behind me and looking forward to the trees and flowers blooming and the season of Easter and hope.  As I have been reading and thinking about the events that led up to The Son's crucifixion, I've decided to look at Peter with more focus.

We all know Peter's story, denying his Friend three times before the rooster crowed.  I used to think, how could he do that?  How could he betray the One he followed?   How could he deny his friend, the one that he claimed over and over again to love.  As I've grown older, I realize that I probably would've done the same.  It would have been my first response, I'm sure.  If I think about it, when I am fearful and don't think about what I am going to say it's usually something that I'll regret.  He was human and that's probably what happened, since he was fearful.  

Just like Peter, we live in those few moments between the rooster's first crow..worldliness, getting by, provision, familiarity...and the second crow of shame, realization, loss, despair and weeping.  After the first crow, it's an opportunity to turn around and change my course.  But after the second crow, well that one is the realization of truth and remorse usually follows.

I can learn a lot from Peter, but what I am learning this season is that I don't want to continue with the shame, realization, loss, despair and weeping as much as in my past.  I want to gain wisdom from this story.  I want to be prepared and less fearful, so that I will be well equipped when the second crow comes.  I want to remember and be encouraged that 106 times the word, wait, is used in The Word, for perfect reason.  I want to wait and then respond, so I can hang my head in shame...less.