“Lord Jesus Christ, Look Straight At Me…!”

“Lord Jesus Christ, Look Straight At Me…!”(Lk.22:54-71).
How far can you go for Jesus? How far have you gone for Jesus? It is highlighted in the gospels how on the night that Jesus was arrested, Peter denied him three times before the rooster crowed as predicted by Jesus. Even so, of the Twelve only Peter risked so much for Jesus – even if his best was not good enough. When they came to arrest Jesus it was Peter who cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant(Jn.18:10).
Jesus had told the Twelve,“You will all fall away” in fulfilment of what is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered”(Mk.14:27). Maybe Peter’s denial is pronounced because he was the one who claimed that he was ready to go with Jesus to prison and to death (Lk.22:33).
Of the Twelve one betrayed Jesus and when Jesus was siezed, ten disappeared just as Jesus had predicted. Only “Peter followed him at a distance” and eventually denied him thrice. At the third denial the rooster crowed and “the Lord turned and looked straight at” him, and Peter remembered the words of the Lord. “And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Was this perhaps the sifting by Satan as the Lord earlier said? Jesus had told Peter, “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
From this point till his crucifixion we hear nothing of Peter nor the others. May be he already turned back to go strengthen the others as the Lord had said.Fair weather friends!
When they were mocking, beating and saying insulting things to Jesus none of his close aides were nearby. Fair weather friends!
Johnson Oatman captured this so well in song: “They tried my Lord and Master, With no one to defend; Within the halls of Pilate, He stood without a friend…”
Where were the friends whom he trusted so much?
Dear friend, like Peter let us accompany our Lord at his arrest by taking risks in his service through service to humanity. Such risks may entail denying him at times as Satan sifts us, but our Lord, who from now on is “seated at the right hand of the mighty God” intercedes for us that our faith may not fail. And when we turn back, it is to strengthen the others.
“I’ll be a friend to Jesus, My life for him I’ll spend; I’ll be a friend to Jesus, Until my years shall end…”
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ each time I deny you, look straight at me that I may shed tears of remorse. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.