Although social media offers opportunities to be in contact with people around the world electronically, it seems that people spend less time actually seeing or talking to friends than was the case in previous generations. I recently saw an interesting statement: “God has no phone, but I talk to him. He has no Facebook, but He is still my friend, He doesn’t have a twitter, but I still follow Him.” This reminded me of a bumper sticker that I saw on a car years ago: “Wise men still seek Him.”
This week some friends of our colleagues, Teddy and Linda, came to visit them at the ministry house in Châteauguay. It was neat to learn that they live close to Karen’s sisters in British Columbia. At the Bell Centre on Tuesday, I met a lady who lives in Tampa, Florida, who came to see her daughter and attend the hockey game together. I sat next to a man and his son and resisted the urge to ask him if he was from Australia or New Zealand, when I heard his accent. Low-cost travel has made it possible for people to go to far-away places quickly.
One of the many interesting things about the Bible is the way that human weaknesses are revealed, including how one of Jesus’ disciples claimed to not know his Master. In John 18, we read that Peter and another disciple (thought by many scholars to have been John, the author of the fourth gospel) followed Jesus after Judas brought a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Demonstrating his impetuous nature, Peter struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. He then denied that he was one of the disciples of Jesus three times.
We see more of this story in Luke’s account of the events that led to the crucifixion of Jesus. In Luke 22:34, Jesus declared: “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.” Interestingly, the third denial came after a relative of Malchus (whose ear was cut off by Peter) emphatically said: “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galileen” (v. 59). Peter’s accent was different than that of the people from Jerusalem.
Despite Peter’s denials, the Lord continued to love him, as He does all people. His death on the cross demonstrated how much He loves us. As we approach Easter, let’s remember that He knows all about us and loves us more than we can imagine.
Scripture for the weekend: “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”Luke 22:32 (NKJV)
Thought for the weekend: “What profound, searing emotion Jesus must have felt as His arrest drew near. The Greek words translated sorrowful and deeply distressed (Matthew 26:37) refer to intense grief and extreme anguish. The phrase even to death is found often in the Septuagint and refers to a sorrow so overpowering that it almost kills, This intense anguish is further proof that Jesus was completely human as well as fully divine.” – Dr. David Jeremiah (from his Study Bible)
By His grace,
Steve