Fear

But Peter answered, ‘Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!’
At once, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned around and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered that the Lord had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me.’ Peter went out and wept bitterly. (verses 60-62)

Read Luke 22: 52-62

He had seen Jesus doing miraculous things; he had seen him shining forth as bright as the sun. He had seen him give life to the dead. He had left all to follow Jesus, but now he denied him – not once but three times.

Why? Why did Peter deny Jesus? Because he was afraid. Fear turned him away. Fear possessed him. Fear caused him to deny not only Jesus but also all that Peter had stood for for the last three years.

Fear can do that to any of us. If we let it, fear can control our lives. There is much to fear in the world: change, terrorism, rogue governments, increasing living costs, poor health, old age – the list goes on.

But God doesn’t want us to live in fear. He wants us to live in love, in faith, in hope – in Christ. ‘There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear’ (1 John 4:18). We don’t have perfect love – but Jesus does.

Lord Jesus Christ, please overcome my fears with your perfect love. Amen.

by Greg Graham, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)

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