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PAGE
TITLE:
CBN Easter Devotion
ARTICLE
TITLE:
Impetuous Peter and Me
DATE: N.A
AUTHOR: Gail Casteen
AUTHOR
INFORMATION: Gail
Casteen is a staff writer for CBN.
Imagine
facing the worst event of your life, knowing exactly what is coming and how
very difficult it will be. Now imagine, while struggling through that dark
moment, helping a friend and a foe in one selfless move. It is hard to fathom,
but it happened and is well documented.
It
was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had been betrayed with a kiss and was
being led away into the night to stand a mockery of a trial. In his best effort
to protect his Messiah, Peter pulled his sword and severed an ear from the head
of a soldier. Then Jesus made a highly unpredictable move. He touched and
healed the man's ear!
When
Jesus restored the ear of that soldier, He changed the lives of two men
forever. Of course, being the man of compassion that He was, Jesus certainly
saw this soldier suffering and in agony from such a brutal wound. Even though
the soldier was a 'bad guy', the love and compassion of Jesus reached beyond
what the man was doing to the fact that he was hurting and needed healing.
When
I was a child, I could not understand why Jesus would help someone who was
there with the intention of hurting Him. I knew I could never be as loving and
forgiving as Jesus and was not certain I wanted to try. As an adult, I am
thankful for the grace and mercy He extends to me when I am the bad guy.
Another
man’s future was changed that night. Jesus courageously rescued Peter that
night. There Peter stood, bloody weapon in his hand, somewhat frustrated that
he had missed his mark … the soldier's head. Yet, his pride was perhaps
somewhat pacified by the fact that he had made a notable statement of his
allegiance to the Lord. He was more than willing to fight to protect Jesus.
In
the moment between landing the blow and Jesus restoring the ear, Peter realized
the consequences he would have to pay for that action. He probably saw what
Jesus did for him the instant it happened. When Jesus healed the soldier's ear,
the evidence that would have supported prosecution for the attempted murder of
an officer of the law vanished. There would be no argument in court against
Peter regarding that incident. He was acquitted before he was accused!
Much
in the same way Peter did that night, I commit a punishable offense, yet Jesus
steps in and rescues me. It is after I have done the damage that I see His
action on my behalf has removed the evidence against me. My slate has been
cleared.
In
Lamentations
3: 21-23 the Bible says,
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I
hear Jesus' voice ringing in my head and heart, "Father forgive them, they
know not what they do." Here I stand, undeserving, wrong, yet loved
completely. He reaches out with compassion and mercy to heal and deliver me.
His acts of love and compassion effectively restore and renew me.
When
I am called to step up to the Judge's bench, there will be no evidence to hold
against me ... "Just as if I had never sinned." He declares me “NOT
GUILTY!”
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