The Rooster

Mk. 14:72

And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' And he broke down and wept.

Jesus has been taken before the high priest, the scribes, and the elders. What a company of self-important men! While Jesus was inside, Peter was outside warming himself at a fire. Obviously, these men of great importance were seeking testimony against Jesus, but none of the testimony they heard made sense or followed logically. So finally they asked Jesus, Are you the Christ, the son of the blessed? Jesus replied, I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. The high priests called his words blasphemy, and they condemned him to death. As if that were not enough, they began to spit on him and to strike him with many blows.

But where was Peter in all this? He was close by sitting with the guards when a servant girl identified him as one of Christ's followers. But he denied it! As he began to leave, the rooster crowed. [Just a little reminder!] The servant girl saw him again and proclaimed to the bystanders that Peter was as a follower of Christ. Again he denied it! And a little later, the bystanders approached him who said he was one of them since he was a Galilean, But this time Peter's response was  intense and not only did he invoke a curse on himself but he also swore that he did not know Jesus. Immediately the rooster crowed again. At that moment Peter remembered what Christ had told him. 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. He broke down and wept. I am sure these tears were one of unbelievable bitterness.

Peter would have never believed that he could fall so low as to deny Christ 3 times. He had foolishly declared that he would die with Christ before he would ever deny Christ. But what had undone him? Fear. What an ugly monster fear is! It takes away our best resolves and force us into situations that we could never imagine. His life illustrates so well what happens to a believer when they are relying on themselves and not on Christ. In Christ is our identity, our peace, our strength, and even our resolves. 

Father,

Open my eyes to see clearly when I am drifting away from my power source. I know I am in Christ, but yet my life doesn't always show this. Unite my heart to fear you name and to follow You always. 

In Jesus name,

Amen