While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean", Mark 14:66-70.
I can imagine how Peter felt watching Jesus being beaten and mocked. Fear could have entered his heart as well as disorientation, since his friend was under scrutiny.
The thought that resonated with me as I read these verse was how quickly any of us can be tested about our beliefs. When pressure comes we find out what responses we'd truly give about our beliefs.
Peter specifically voiced to Jesus that he would never deny Him. (Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
Peter only knew how he felt when he had the above conversation with Jesus.
What Peter hadn't tested was his commitment. All of us dream about answers we'd say to various people in our lives. The mental rehearsal is wonderful. The question is what do we really do when the pressure comes?
Think about Peter. He had followed Jesus for a long time; Peter knew particular things about Jesus. Yet, we see that he didn't have sufficient advance prayer to take his stand. It was lonely in the yard with the other side. Our takeaway: pray for the unknown things that we will confront in our lives, so that we can pass our life tests. Blessing for wisdom...
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