Coffee With The Lord

Some people take God’s sovereignty too far… They make Him directly responsible for EVERYTHING!  My problem?  Carried that far, it makes God even responsible for that which is sinful – things that violate the very principles that He instituted.

Methinks a much better approach theologically is that within the scope of God’s sovereignty is an area God Himself has identified for human responsibility.  It is an area of contingency… an area where human choice has an impact… an area where our decisions make a difference…  an area where prayer, obedience or disobedience, influence outcomes!

Because He is God, however, and exists within eternity, and is omniscient (all-knowing), God operates with what theologians call “foreknowledge!”  He knows “the end from the beginning.”  But to know is not necessarily to control! … For example, I recall talking to a friend at a wading pool for a few moments and instructing my little son, who had just gotten dried off and dressed, not to get in the pool and get wet.  I heard a sound behind me and didn’t even have to turn around… PJ was in the pool!  But my knowing did not mean I controlled his actions.

Today I read an account in Scripture during “Coffee with the Lord” that beautifully illustrates the point I am making… Jesus had predicted His disciples would “fall away” because of Him.  Peter, filled with good intentions, vehemently insisted that he would never fall away and deny Jesus!  Jesus knowing Peter, however, and speaking from foreknowledge, predicted that he would deny Him three times “before the cock crowed twice.”  Later, in the courtyard of the high priest, in response to the comments of a servant girl, he denied that he knew the Lord.  And the rooster crowed!  And again when those standing nearby accused him of being a disciple, Peter invoked a curse and denied the Lord… And it happened – the rooster crowed again… And Peter broke down and wept bitterly.  (From Mark 14:26-31 and 66-72)

Now, here’s the deal… Jesus is and was divine – both God and man – He knows all things!  He knew Peter, He knew what Peter would do, and He knew even how many times the rooster would crow and in what circumstances.  But, Jesus (who is God) did not control Peter’s actions… Peter’s failure was Peter’s failure!  Peter accepted responsibility for it and wept!  And Jesus accepted Him and forgave Him!

The lesson?  God knows us inside-out!  He knows the end from the beginning!  He knows, but He does not control us!  He has decreed a place for our choices, our decisions our obedience or disobedience, in His eternal plan and purpose!  We are responsible for our actions and decisions!   He listens to our prayers!  He loves and forgives us when we make bad choices – He did for Peter.  Praise the Lord!

Here’s some wise advice… Don’t blow your own horn!

Here it is from my Bible reading today: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord! For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends!” (From 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 ESV)

I’ve been around long enough that I’m a bit wary of my “good intentions.”   I can recall times that I’ve been to an exciting and inspiring church service where I’ve been challenged to “make a commitment” and I’ve done it!! – made all kinds of “promises to God” in the emotional surge of the moment – only to discover delivering on those promises is more difficult than making them.  Shamefully, I admit to having some of the same spiritual challenges that Simon Peter did in the Bible! 

After the moving experience of the Lord ’s Supper, Jesus predicted “You will all fall away!”  This really bothered Peter and he strongly declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not!”  Jesus responded (knowing Peter), “Truly, I tell you, today – yes tonight – before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”  The Bible says at that point Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will NEVER disown you!” 

But in Gethsemane, when Jesus needed prayer support the most, Peter failed…  Jesus admitted, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow – to the point of death!  Stay here and keep watch” (in other words “stay awake and alert – support me in prayer!”)  But Peter slept.  The Bible says, “Jesus returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon,” He said to Peter, ‘are you asleep?  Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation!  THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK!’”

Peter failed!  Peter did precisely what Jesus had predicted!

Tragically, the pathway of discipleship is all too often littered with the stuff of “good intentions!” … mine included!!  I need several things, it seems to me, as I reflect on Peter and my own failures this morning…

1) I need to be more careful and thoughtful before I “pop off with my mouth” saying I’ll do something. 

2) I need the inner strengthening and support that prayer brings – I need to pray more. 

3)  I need the Lord’s forgiveness for all the times I’ve made promises and haven’t kept them! And finally,

4) I need the continual empowering of the Holy Spirit (Peter certainly did… Thank God for Pentecost!!)

(Quotations from Mark 14 NIV)