58 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."
"Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
59 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean."
60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 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." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Brokenhearted, bitterly bruised in spirit, faced with the weakness of his flesh, ashamed over the denials of his Lord flowing from his lips - all qualifications catapulting Peter into useful service for Jesus. This may come as a surprise to some, but God uses those greatly who are filled with Him and not of themselves and their own abilities!
“The Lord sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.” D. W. Moody
“There is no other method of living piously and justly than that of depending upon God.” John Calvin
Peter is ripe for the Lord’s use. It would do us all well to realize that we are not useful for kingdom work until we come to the end of ourselves. The wonderful promises of Scripture are thus:
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalms 34:18 (NIV)
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalms 51:17 (NIV)
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:3 (NIV)
Indeed, the prophet Isaiah states the following regarding Jesus’ future job description:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor - Isaiah 61:1-2 (NIV)
A believer must have his spirit broken of all self-assertion, acknowledging his need of God for spiritual renewal and cleansing. This is brokenness over the sin not simply over the consequences occurring from the sin. Oftentimes, we are sad over what the sin produces in our lives rather than the bitterness of heart regarding our own depravity which Peter so wonderfully portrays in our verses for today. Jesus came to free us from the captivity of sin and of ourselves!
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
We must at all times be willing to acknowledge any failure which God’s light exposes in our lives, recognizing our need for spiritual cleansing which comes only from our Savior. As we turn to Him in genuine repentance, He graciously and mercifully cleanses and restores us.
Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us. Charles Spurgeon
Once so confident in his own responses, Peter is now made amazingly aware of his flawed flesh. I am ashamed to admit how many times I can relate to Peter’s predicament! As Jesus “looked straight” in my direction (a/k/a as the conviction of the Holy Spirit) my heart melted like chocolate on a hot July day. His “look” is a significant look bringing both conviction and grace – power goes forth from it to change the wayward heart. Our part is repentance – a turning from the wrong way to the right way – am embracing of the will of God over our own – and as we turn, He turns us! Jeremiah tells us:
"If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; Jer 15:19 (NIV)
The words translated “repent” and “restore” are the exact same Hebrew word “Sub” meaning to turn back around, return; essentially denotes a movement back from the point of departure. If we make the decision to willingly turn, He will turn us! Praise Him!
“The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” William Booth