Encouragement from the story of Peter’s denial
This text is from a letter written by David Gooding in 1997.
The story of Peter—when he had denied the Lord three times, and the cockerel crew, and the Lord turned and looked upon Peter—has always been a great encouragement to me.
The Gospel of Luke tells us that, before Peter was tempted, the Lord Jesus told him that he would deny the Lord three times. The Lord also told him that he had prayed for him, that his faith should not fail. In the event, Peter's courage failed, and his loyalty to Christ failed, and his testimony as a believer was compromised; but through it all his faith did not fail, because the Lord Jesus had prayed for him that his faith should not fail.
Now, the Lord has no favourites. He intercedes for all those who put their trust in him; and Hebrews 7:25 tells us that 'he is able to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them'.
Indeed, it is very interesting to notice from the story in Luke how it came about that, when Peter denied the Lord Jesus, his faith became stronger than ever it was before. Before he denied Christ, he would not listen to Christ when Christ told him that he was going to deny him. He refused to believe that he had this weakness. He felt, indeed, that he was stronger than all the other disciples. But the Lord Jesus insisted that this was true: he would deny him three times, and when he had done so, the cock would crow. Still Peter would not believe what the Lord said. But when at last he denied the Lord, the cock crew and the Lord Jesus turned and looked upon Peter.
Now at last Peter did believe what the Lord Jesus said. He had no choice; he had to believe. It had all come true. And in those moments Peter would have been strengthened by the memory that the Lord Jesus had not only foretold that he would deny him, but had foretold that he would be restored and would one day strengthen his brethren. So Peter's faith was not finally destroyed. It was, indeed, strengthened.
What a comfort it is to know that we have such a great Saviour.
With Christian love,
