He Went Outside And Wept Bitterly

Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:54-62

One of Jesus’ followers, Simon Peter denied Jesus Christ three times. In a very critical moment he denied every knowing Jesus. His fear-filled act of denial caused him such guilt and heartache that, broken by his spiritual failure, he could only go out and weep bitterly.

But Peter’s denial of Christ, like our own moments of spiritual denial, could never diminish the compassion of God.

We can take heart that even when we fail, our faithful God comes to us in mercy and compassion that never fails.

Being imperfect emphasizes our dependence on God’s mercy.

Our Daily Bread – September 14, 2013