Jesus to you I cling

“Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.” Mark 14 : 29

Does this line seem very familiar to you?

Remember Simon Peter? One of Jesus closer disciples who is always the first to speak and in this incident, he was proudly proclaiming to Jesus that even if everyone were to deny you, I, Simon Peter will never deny you.

There are times in my life that I’ve prayed to God, made promises and telling Him that I’ll be closer to Him by upping my spiritual standards - be it the duration of time I decided to spend praying to Him, fasting or studying Scripture. Or maybe something different like I once shared before in the blog, to eat simple by spending not more than Rm10 a day on food.

As for the others, it could be something like, “I’ll pray before youth committedly.” Or “Making sure I give thanks before my meals”.

And just like how Simon peter fell hard on his face as Jesus told him right after ,

“ And Jesus saith unto him, verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

Imagine, Jesus even stressed

“That this day” He didn’t just stop there, he went to add again

“even in this night..”

He knows how quick sometimes we make our promises without understanding the full weight of its cost. I personally don’t think God wants to put our zeal for Him down.

Just so you know, Peter wasn’t lying or exaggerating when he told Jesus he wouldn’t deny Him. If you understand his temperament (he's a sanguine) and the context of it, he really meant it but he was overconfident that he could do it regardless the situation may turn out. Just like how Peter meant when he answered Jesus’ question :

“And He saith unto them, But whom say ye I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto Him, Thou art the Christ.” Mark 8 : 29

Peter answered because he truly worshipped Jesus and had no doubt about it despite many rumors that were already heavily spreading around. That either Jesus was Elijah (the people then were expecting the spirit of Elijah to appear before the Messiah, look into Malachi 4 : 5-6, or that the spirit of John the Baptist was risen in Jesus, or that He is a fraud, a man who uses the power of belzebub as claimed by the noted and well “respected” Pharisees then)

And so I caught myself in the similar situation. I really meant what I told God I would do, but I end up failing Him, not only failing Him but failing Him miserably!

And I felt what Peter felt right after he realized Jesus words came to pass.

“And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” Matthew 26 : 75

The reason I didn’t quote from Mark is because I felt Matthew describe the sorrow more detailed, the word “bitterly” wasn’t in Mark. Have you ever cried bitterly? It’s very different from your usual petty cry over some small squabbles or silly arguments.

It’s a deep sense of shame, guilt and remorse.

And worse of all being to be guilty of, God Himself.

Sometimes I’ll be so ashamed and sorrowful about it, I just don’t how to face God again up to a few days long. But I realize that I need to return to my Heavenly Father in all boldness and in tears to ask for forgiveness, and that He would let me try again and again until I’ve grown.

I hope by sharing this, those of you who are reading this who once on a spiritual high has come to a slump due to certain failures may be encouraged. Don’t turn back just because you may think either it’s so tiring to keep failing over or the fight is just not worth it. Even in the darkest moments, keep clinging onto Jesus and never let Him go.

“ And Jesus said unto him, No man , having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” Luke 9 : 62

If Peter had decided to wail in deep sorrow and walk away from Jesus ever since that day, he wouldn’t have been the one of the great twelve who wrote 2 doctrinal epistles of 1 Peter & 2 Peter.

The transformed Peter who was once spoke foolishly at times, expressed his zeal without weight has been the now the person who has convert thousands and even people who went under his shadow was healed!

Likewise, I am also encouraged that besides my failure to keep my promises and prayers to Him, as I walk my spiritual journey from day to day, I know at the end of it, the many great abundant blessings God has kept installed for me shall come as I strain on forward, clinging unto God.

-Gary Heng

Image taken from :

http://www.ttstm.com/2011/06/june-29-peter-martyr-apostle-rock.html
https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-WILL-PUT-YOU-DOWN/106279156071848
http://www.exposingsatanism.org/pharisees-sadducees.htm
http://www.pravmir.com/growing-spiritually/
http://wisdomthroughmindfulness.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-is-clinging-buddhist-take-on-it.html
http://www.encore-editions.com/simply-to-thy-cross-i-cling