This post is something that God gave me some time ago - February of 2009 to be exact, but it still holds just as true today. And I find myself having to be reminded of it even now by times. That is true of much of what He shows and tells me to be honest. Rarely do I get it completely when He shows it to me the first time through. I have said before that I am merely the keyboard and that much of what I write is His - that is, I tend not to know it completely (sometimes, at all) myself, I merely write what He gives me.
That all said, here is the first part of it:
He Knew
Some things to consider:
Luke 5:10 "Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men"
Matthew 14:28-29
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
Matthew 14:30
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Luke 22:34
Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."
John 21:15-19
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
Now then...
He knew.
He knew when He called to Peter that day on the water. He knew when He called Him to "come" that he would look away and sink. He knew Peter would be overcome by the fear of having to go through the pain he saw Christ going through and would deny Him, not once but three times.
He knew.
He knew when He first called him all the mistakes he would make along the way. He knew.
And still...
And still, He called him.
Even though He knew.
I have little doubt that Peter kicked himself over and over again after sinking in the water. Even less doubt that he kicked himself HARD after denying Jesus that day. I would imagine that he would have thought about what a disappointment he was ...how he had failed so terribly ... how God would turn away from him because of what he did.
But in order for him to have been a disappointment, or a failure, or for God to turn His face away from him would have meant that he would have had to do something that God did not know he was going to do when He first called to him that day on the lake.
but...
He knew.
He knew what Peter was going to do...He knew when it was going to happen...He knew why he would do it even if Peter himself did not fully understand.
He knew.
And if He knew...how could He consider Peter a disappointment or a failure? How could He decide to turn away from him?
He couldn't.
And He didn't.
Because He knew.
And He knew when He called each of us...self included...about all the mistakes we would make even AFTER we came to Him...after He called us...He knew and STILL HE CALLED US.
He knew.
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