Forgiven by God

By Patsy Norwood

 We have all read many times the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.  We have read how everyone deserted Him. We have read how in His last hours here on earth even Peter, one of His beloved disciples, denied knowing Him. 

 Oh, the emotional anguish that our Savior must have suffered on the night of His betrayal! 

 Consider Peter, the beloved disciple that denied Him not once, not twice, but three times.  Jesus warned him that he would do this.  (Mark 14: 27-31)  Peter vehemently denied that he would do such a thing. 

 How do you think Peter felt after realizing that he had done what he said he would not do?  Mark 14:72 says he wept. Peter surely felt remorse and sorrow for what he had done otherwise he would not have wept.  Peter was also probably feeling pretty hopeless and that he had really messed up. Oh, for the opportunity to undo what he had done! 

I’m sure all of us at one time or another have shared Peter’s feelings of sorrow, remorse, and hopelessness over something we have done.  Oh, for the opportunity to undo damage our actions cause! 

 Wait a minute! Peter was the one who denied Him... 3 times ...at a time when Jesus needed someone to stand by Him.  Do you mean that He wanted to include Peter, that He still counted him as one of His own ... after what he had done?