Betrayed by one of his disciples?!  “Not me!” declared Peter, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you!”  Jesus warned Peter that before the rooster would crow its announcement of the arrival of dawn, Peter will have denied Jesus three times.  Could this be!

The sad story of Jesus’ last hours is marked by betrayal and denial.  As Jesus predicted, Judas did what was in his heart and betrayed Jesus by identifying him with the friendly greeting of a kiss.  And sure enough, before the rooster crowed Peter denied Jesus three times.

Peter was sure of his loyalty to Jesus…but dawn was just around the corner.  Peter joined the crowd that followed Jesus as he was taken before the chief priests…and dawn was just around the corner.  Peter waited through the night with a small crowd in the courtyard.  Dawn was just beyond the horizon.  Three times people accused him of being one of Jesus’ followers…dawn breaks…the rooster crows.  Peter denies his Lord!

Before we are too harsh with Peter, we too should look into the depths of our own lives.  Beneath the surface of Peter’s confession and his confidence lies the truth:  the certainty of his weakness and the guarantee of God’s grace.  We can be sure of these this.  We are human beings weak in our sin and in desperate need.  But God is gracious!  He forgives us by his grace, he transforms us by his grace, and he strengthens us by his grace!

Pray that God’s “great reversal” of grace would strengthen you to face the dawn.  And the next time you hear the rooster crow, remember Jesus Christ, our source of grace.