Wednesday, May 13, 2015

"Keeping Your Word"

"Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice."  John 13:38

During the Last Supper Jesus begins to tell His disciples that He would be leaving them and that where He was going they could not come.  Peter spoke up and said, "Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake." (verse 37)  Our opening scripture is Jesus' reply to his question. 

How many times have we done the same thing as Peter?  How many times have we made a "vow", so to speak, that we would follow Him all the days of our lives?  How many times have we told Him that if He will just do this or that for us that we will live for Him?  How many promises have we made to Him?  How many "deals" have we tried to work out with Him?  The real question is not how many, but how many have we actually kept. 

It is easy when we are in need to make these kinds of statements.  But what about when the emergency/problem/need is over?  It is easy to make them when He is blessing us abundantly.  But what about when it is put to the test?  Peter's profession to be willing to lay down his life for Jesus was put to the test.  He failed it-- he denied Jesus three times when the very thing he professed he would do, lay down his life, looked like it might become a reality.  

Peter made the profession because he thought he could really do it.  He made it in the "heat of the moment".  He made it out of pride.  Have you made some profession or vow to the Lord but when it came to fulfilling it, you recanted, or was afraid to do it?  The Bible says that it is better not to make a vow to God than to make it and not keep it.  Jesus knew Peter wouldn't keep it, but He loved him anyway.  After the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter and Peter did actually lay down his life for Jesus.  It is time for you to keep your vow to Him as well.

Have a great day.  Have you told the Lord you would do something but haven't kept your word to Him? 

For further reading:
Ecclesiastes 5:4,5  
 
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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
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