Promises

Promises, promises, promises.

I've shared some comparisons of Jesus' last week before His crucifixion, how I can relate to some of the events.

Today, a professor helped me make the connection between Peter and Jesus and me and friends that I had.

Here's the account, from Matthew 16:21-23, 25:31-35,  From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” ....Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”  Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same..... Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

While I can't begin to imagine the emotions Jesus felt, I have an idea....

Peter promised, "Never, Lord!" "I will never disown you!" ... He thought that he would always stick up for His master, Jesus. Any circumstance would never lead up to his betrayal. He thought he would never break his promises.

But Peter did break his promises. Peter even said, "I don't even know the man!"

I head the words all-too-often, "I will never leave you." "I will always be your friend." "I will always be there for you." "Never would I ever do that do you."

And yet, those promises are now broken.

And it hurts. I am not afraid to admit that. I'm grieving because it hurts, as any normal human being would.

As Peter pretended not to know Jesus, now I'm in the same situation. I can't get the time of day from my betrayers.

And it hurts. It hurts to have someone promise you something in one breath and want nothing to do wtih you a few weeks later. It sucks.

I have such a great appreciation for what Jesus suffered. I can relate on differing levels, and it strengthens my faith. It puts me in a state of awe- a Savior experienced these emotions for me.

These feelings are some of the hardest I've dealt with- not only the betrayal, but everything. And Jesus experienced it all. Only worse. And what I'm going through is so hard, I don't know how Jesus did it without giving up. I certainly would have given up if I was feeling worse than this.

But Jesus held on. For me.

Promises, promises, promises.

Some friends here have all fallen away and broken their promises and betrayed me.

But God sticks by His promises. He always has, and always will. And I trust that.

Thank God for His promises to always be with us and never forsake us.

I'll have a post with today's positives later. I just wanted to reflect a bit now.