Not Exactly!
S. O. A. P.
Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!
S-cripture:
Mark 14:31
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
O-bservation:
Here we see Peter and the other disciples denying Jesus’ prediction the night before Jesus suffered death on the cross. He had said to them, and specifically to Peter, “Before the rooster crows twice you will deny me three times.” Peter’s vociferous denial was “Not Exactly” what Peter had promised. It happened just like Jesus said it would.
A-pplication:
How often have we made promises to Jesus in prayer that we meant with our whole heart, but in the end our promises were “Not Exactly” kept as we had promised. It doesn’t mean that we weren’t honest going in, and it certainly doesn’t mean that we purposely broke the promise, it’s just that stuff happens! Peter had watched Jesus pull out of tough situations MANY times before, and he also saw crowds that were delighted as Jesus spoke to them. Most likely Peter did not really think in his heart that Jesus would truly suffer death as He had told them. At the same time, I’m sure Peter fully trusted his own commitment to Christ. In the end, his commitment to himself was “Not Exactly” enough to keep him from turning his back on Jesus. If your promises to Jesus are “Not Exactly” being kept, perhaps you and I both need to put our full trust in Jesus, and trust Him more than we trust ourselves.
P-rayer:
Dear Jesus,
This AM I acknowledge my own broken promises to You on more than one occasion. I’ve at times trusted my own ability to keep my promises more than I have trusted Your ability to help me keep them. So today I simply ask you to Help Me. Amen
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