60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 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.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22 NIV
Today I was thinking about this passage as a new Bible study begins at my church. We are starting God is Love by Dr. Jeremiah.
The opening of the series is "just" speaking on God's love as an introductory to whatever else the pastor will speak of. If I recall, every woman in study was emotional at one point or another today.
Anyway, God's love. Indescribable, infinite, incredible. Yet as pastor spoke, I flashed to this passage, this look that Christ sent across the courtyard as Peter denies for the third and final time any knowledge of Christ. What that look must have said, how it must have felt.
We all have had one time or another when our tongues have wagged, and have all had a time when that wagging was caught by the subject. The look of shock and hate that often springs to the "victim"'s face--as well as the shock and embarrassment or possible anger of the speaker.
While I am certain that Peter felt terrible to have been caught in the act, how much love I figure was in that look of the Lord. Perhaps, yes, a melancholic tint, but a look of love. I cannot see Christ sending the look we might send to this man whom He was naming the rock, the foundation, of His adopted family.
Ever look at concordances? How much the word love, loving etc has listed? Pages and pages and pages.
God so loves us. He never leaves us, He never forgets us. We sometimes think He has---or even work to convince ourselves of this. He doesn't. He is so very willing to hold us, lend His strength, peace, joy. He was willing to die for us, even before we were born, even before we knew Him, even while we hated Him. All He needed us to do was have faith. How very closely He holds us!
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Luke 13.34
He wants to hold us dear, cuddle us under His wings. Ask Him to, He will. Oh, how very much He will.
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