Summer 15 "Stone in my Shoe" Matthew 26:69-75 Denial?

STONE IN MY SHOE
This week we are thinking about Matthew 26:69-75 Peter's denial.

I had a stone in my shoe. 

 We all face challenges. What do you do when you have a stone in your shoe? Most of us wriggle it around, shake it all about, hobble along for a bit ..you can get by. There are things that we find awkward, like Peter, things that stop us living fully Christian lives. 

Peter loved the picture of being the hero leader, dauntless, pioneering, loyal – you see it in the garden with the sword. But his “stone in my shoe” was that he wanted to fit in, to be accepted. Here at the fire. And he wanted to keep out of trouble! What are your “stone in my shoe” things? Do you just put up with them?

Stone in my Shoe! Jesus knows we will fail. Peter surprised himself – when that cock crowed he was devastated. He realised what he'd been doing. But it was no surprise to Jesus. He'd seen it coming. He knew Peter. Do you know - it is no surprise to Jesus when we mess up. He knows us too! We are often devastated – but its just our pride that's hurt. Like Peter, we thought we'd be able to do it.  Jesus always knew that we, like Peter, couldn't. But I think He loved him for trying.

Stone in my shoe! Jesus still trust us. The surprise is not that we have a stone in our shoe, not that we we fail, not even that He forgives us and still loves us. But that  he still trusts us with his love. We need to stop, sit down, take off our protective footwear and get that thing out! Then..... well that's another story. That brings us to next week!