Words of Encouragement

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV). It all started to fall apart for Peter in the upper room. Jesus warned the disciples that one of them would actually betray Him and the others would desert Him. Peter couldn't believe that Jesus would make such a statement. Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” (Matthew 26:33 ESV). Then Jesus told Peter that not only would he deny Him, but he would deny Him three times. Peter thought that was absolutely impossible. But Jesus knew Peter, just like he knows us. We are all Peter in that moment. We all have within us the makings of betrayal. It wouldn’t be long after that bold declaration that Peter would fall asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane after Jesus had asked him to “watch” with him. And, of course, after Jesus' arrest, he followed at a distance and denied the Lord three times before the rooster crowed the dawn. Immediately after that third denial, the eyes of Peter and the eyes of Jesus met. Peter was devastated, and he went out and wept bitterly (cf. Luke 22). Imagine how hard it must have been. Then, a few days later, he heard that wonderful message that the Lord had risen. Not only that, but Jesus said to the women at the tomb, "But go, tell His disciples —and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." (cf. Mark 16:7). Tell the disciples—and Peter. Jesus singled him out. Peter needed to be encouraged. He had forgotten that the Lord said he would pray for him and he would encourage the others when he came back. I’m there from time to time. I find myself at a place where nothing seems to be going just right and I need to be encouraged. Maybe you need encouragement today. Life seems to get in the way of my happiness. It may be because of something I’ve done or not done; yet, the results are the same. I find myself wondering if it is ever going to be alright. It is then that I am called to remember that Jesus has thought of me. He has prayed for me. He desires me to be encouraged. That encouragement comes in different forms. Sometimes it is something I have read in Scripture; or, it may be a friend with an encouraging word. The important truth is that it does come! Jesus is resurrected in part to provide those words of encouragement. Take them to heart today. He is risen!