4_12 E-Votional
If anyone had reason to feel defeated it would have been Peter. Here he was, on the first Easter, just days removed from denying Jesus three times after vowing that he’d rather die than desert and abandon Jesus. Capable of great promise and potential on the one hand, and great disappointment on the other, he had given up everything to follow Jesus but ultimately watched Jesus die and be buried. What was it all for? Where was the meaning in all that he had experienced?
That’s why he returns to his home after learning that the tomb was empty but not finding Jesus. Because what else do you do when your dreams are dashed and your confidence crushed? You go home. There’s nothing more worth looking forward to “out there” in the future. You might as well go back to the only life you knew before. If anyone had reason to feel defeated it would have been Peter.
And yet, God spoke hope into Peter’s sense of defeat. God gave a clear sign of hope to Peter. It was right there in front of him and the fact that he didn’t understand it at first didn’t make it any less real or true. In fact, God goes out of the way to speak words of hope to us. Did you know that the word “defeat” only shows up three (3) times in the New Testament (and one of those is positive use of the word: in Rev 12:8 when the archangel Michael defeats the dragon and casts him out heaven). But… the word “hope” shows up 75 times!!!!
We will be exploring this in more detail this Sunday, as well as hearing more powerful testimonies from church members.
I hope to see you at 8:00, 9:00 or 10:30!!!
Blessings -- Michael