What starts small, can grow bigger than your control.
On that special Holy Thursday, allow me to take you through an eye opening personal experience. It was on a rainy Saturday morning, stuck at home with the kids, i decided to fetch for my notebook to scribble down some thoughts. And the long searching started, going from my room up to the kitchen drawers...only to stop at the end by an innocent voice pointing me out to the balcony...! Here was my notebook, soaking up all the rain it could get like a thirsty camel! Angry me, got my notebook in and was waiting for some explanation...looking at these shameful eyes and trembling voice. Leila realized, after first drawing throughout few pages in my notebook, that she has done something i asked her not to do. Afraid of facing me with such an act, she decided to hide it out of my sight...may be i ll forget all about this notebook anyhow...and yes, that's where the balcony pops up again in the story..and you know the rest. I explained to her firmly yet in my arms that what started with "coloring" ended up in an "all wet" bigger problem..."two wrongs don't make it a right". All the Big wrongs have a small innocent beginning..yet allowed to grow.
But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. (Matthew 26:70, 72, 74 NIV)
It's been shocking to me seeing how a small denying lie was growing into swearing..then brutally transformed into cursing and insulting, yes, a disciple insulting. What? But how? This is Peter, the Rock..even a disciple as solid and bold as Peter was falling into the swirling growing sin effect. We always talk about Peter denying, but rarely think of him reaching a level of swearing and cursing. Oh God, how many times i have accepted a small drop of lie to end up in a pool of mud...yes, the flood always starts with a drop!
On that special Holy Thursday, allow me to take you through an eye opening personal experience. It was on a rainy Saturday morning, stuck at home with the kids, i decided to fetch for my notebook to scribble down some thoughts. And the long searching started, going from my room up to the kitchen drawers...only to stop at the end by an innocent voice pointing me out to the balcony...! Here was my notebook, soaking up all the rain it could get like a thirsty camel! Angry me, got my notebook in and was waiting for some explanation...looking at these shameful eyes and trembling voice. Leila realized, after first drawing throughout few pages in my notebook, that she has done something i asked her not to do. Afraid of facing me with such an act, she decided to hide it out of my sight...may be i ll forget all about this notebook anyhow...and yes, that's where the balcony pops up again in the story..and you know the rest. I explained to her firmly yet in my arms that what started with "coloring" ended up in an "all wet" bigger problem..."two wrongs don't make it a right". All the Big wrongs have a small innocent beginning..yet allowed to grow.
Can't help not think about Peter on that tough Thursday night of trial:
But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. (Matthew 26:70, 72, 74 NIV)
فأنكَرَ قُدّامَ الجميعِ قائلًا: «لستُ أدري ما تقولينَ!». فأنكَرَ أيضًا بقَسَمٍ: «إنّي لستُ أعرِفُ الرَّجُلَ!». فابتَدأَ حينَئذٍ يَلعَنُ ويَحلِفُ: «إنّي لا أعرِفُ الرَّجُلَ!». وللوقتِ صاحَ الدّيكُ. (مَتَّى 26:70, 72, 74)
It's been shocking to me seeing how a small denying lie was growing into swearing..then brutally transformed into cursing and insulting, yes, a disciple insulting. What? But how? This is Peter, the Rock..even a disciple as solid and bold as Peter was falling into the swirling growing sin effect. We always talk about Peter denying, but rarely think of him reaching a level of swearing and cursing. Oh God, how many times i have accepted a small drop of lie to end up in a pool of mud...yes, the flood always starts with a drop!
But that same Peter, experiencing the love of Christ, the forgiveness of His Heart, received the Holy Spirit who took him to a whole new level of authority. Not only he declared his faith but taught it to the multitude openly and got 3000 on his first big public speech! Wow...this is a Turn-Around as defined. From denying You in front of a slave to fishing 3000 souls.
Dear Jesus, i thank you for praying strength over the faith of Peter, for knowing that he will go through tough times, but yet you saw him growing out of it triumphant and leading “Satan has asked to test you men like a farmer tests his wheat. O Simon, Simon (Peter), I have prayed that you will not lose your faith!” (Luke 22:31, 32 ERV) I thank you that when times of trial hit us, we know that you sent us strength to fight this drop of sin through the power of your Holy Spirit in us. Amen!
Dear Jesus, i thank you for praying strength over the faith of Peter, for knowing that he will go through tough times, but yet you saw him growing out of it triumphant and leading “Satan has asked to test you men like a farmer tests his wheat. O Simon, Simon (Peter), I have prayed that you will not lose your faith!” (Luke 22:31, 32 ERV) I thank you that when times of trial hit us, we know that you sent us strength to fight this drop of sin through the power of your Holy Spirit in us. Amen!
Enjoy His loving forgiveness on that day and everyday!
