"Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times. And Peter went outside and wept bitterly." Luke 22:60-62
Dear Father, every one of us has experienced failure. Many failures. They have left us broken, depressed, disappointed in oursleves and full of regret. There are times when flashbacks of those episodes return to haunt us. And how distressed we can feel in those moments! Thank You for the remarkable transformation made possible by forgiveness. Thank You for understanding that we are but dust, often incapable of keeping our own promises or living up to our own expectations.
Renew our hope as we reflect on Peter, with whom we can so easily identify. Reminds us that, just as You used him after his failures, You will use us also, by Your grace. In fact, help our memories of failure bring about a humility that sees Your grace as it really is....amazing.
We look to You alone for the ability to hope again. Only You have the power to make something beautiful and good out of lives that are littered with the debris of thoughts we should have never entertained...words we should have never said...and deeds we should have never done.
Our only source of relief comes through Your grace. Bring it to our attention again and again in those critical moments when discouragement does a number on us...and make us grateful.
In the gracious name of Jesus we ask this. Amen.
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