Lessons from Peter's failure.

This week I am "between" Bible studies (I'm waiting for two new books to arrive in the mail). So I decided to look thru some "random" books on our bookshelves. Of course, nothing is random and God know just when we need to read or hear something.

I picked up the book "Out of the Saltshaker & Into the world" by Rebecca Pippert (a book on evangelism). In the very last chapter of the book Mrs. Pippert discusses Peter and how to our human eyes he looks nothing like the "rock" that Jesus describes him as. He faltered, he failed. Although Peter greatly loved Christ he made many mistakes. In the end Peter denies Jesus, not once but three times. When Peter realizes what he has done he is distraught:

"The last contact Peter had with Jesus was the scene of his own betrayal...
A few days later Peter was told that the Lord has risen... How did Peter feel now?....
On one level he would be ecstatic, but on another afraid and ashamed.
Maybe the Lord had given up on him...But God knew how Peter felt."

In Mark 16:7 the angel specifically tells the women to "go tell his disciples, and Peter". Jesus knew how Peter felt and wanted him to know that he was forgiven. Later Jesus asks Peter three times if Peter loves Him. Peter answers "Lord you know everything, you know that I love you"

"Peter realized that Jesus knew who he was, his fallibility, his limits, his warts.
And yet Peter loved Jesus. Jesus knew that too. He had known Peter's faults
long before they ever dawned on Peter."

Jesus knows all of our failures and weaknesses yet He has entrusted us with being his ambassadors. He knows we will make mistakes and fail. He only asks that we will serve, in love for Him, using whatever talents or gifts he has given us. He is our strength and guide, our help we need only be a willing vessel.