Day 40 – Failure and fire
Mark 14:66-72
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Liz Nixon writes:
Certain places, sounds and people can evoke memories in a particularly vivid way. As a young girl, soon after the death of my grandad, I asked if I could have his old flat cap because it smelled of him and reminded me of him. And there's a couple of things mentioned which would have likely brought back painful memories for Peter: the smell of fire (mentioned in verse 54) and the sound of the cock crowing. Peter has had some spectacular moments of failure - cutting off the servant's ear, rebuking Jesus, flailing around in the water after walking on it. But this scene must be his greatest moment of personal failure. Jesus warns Peter that he will disown him, but Peter boldly declares that even if he has to die with Him, he would never disown Jesus. And yet, round a smoking fire and in the earshot of a cockerel crowing, Peter disowns Jesus, not once, not twice but three times. On hearing the cock crow, He weeps bitterly, knowing what Jesus had warned him had come true. Jesus knew what Peter would do.
We have a kind and forgiving Saviour, and Jesus restores Peter on a beach, whilst they are being warmed by a fire. I do not think it is an accident that there is a fire burning at the moment of Peter's redemption. Take some time to ask Jesus how He might take your biggest failure and turn it into a beautiful story of redemption, just like He did with Peter.