After All I Have Done For You!

wow! too good for me not to share. hugs, Letty this is what touched me.... "In spite of the disappointment and heartache, will you choose to risk your heart being broken by giving someone a second chance? Realize that when you do, you conform to the image of your Christ." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Friend, Have you ever poured yourself into someone's life only to have them walk away from you when you needed them the most? Do you regret opening your heart to them? Let's learn from Jesus and what He did when those He loved did not love Him back. Matt 8:14-15 tells us that "When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him." (NIV) Jesus saw the need and immediately responded. Peter could always count on Jesus when he needed Him. But what about Jesus? Could He count on Peter? Peter talked a good show. But where was he when Jesus needed him? In Jesus' hour of need in the Garden of Gethsemane, he asked the disciples he had spent the most time with to cover him in prayer. Mark 14:37 tells us that "he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?" (NIV). I wonder how Jesus felt. Was this the Peter that Jesus was always available to? Why couldn't Peter love Jesus back just for one hour? Then when Jesus was on the cross, who was there with his mother? It wasn't Peter. Jesus was there for Peter's mother-in-law when she was ill, so why wasn't Peter there for Jesus' mother during her greatest time of need? John 19:26-27 26 tells us that "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (NIV). Instead of entrusting His mother to Peter, Jesus reached out to the Apostle John. Peter suffered from knowing that he abandoned Jesus when He was escorted away by the Roman guards. Peter said he would never deny Christ. Yet, he denied Jesus three times. Then at the cross, Peter was nowhere to be found. The Apostle John was given the privilege of caring for Jesus' mother. Yet after the resurrection, Jesus returned to encourage Peter. The one who does the giving continues to give. The reason is because Jesus saw Peter's change of heart and chose to give him a second chance. Did you know that your investment in someone's life is a choice? In spite of the disappointment and heartache, will you choose to risk your heart being broken by giving someone a second chance? Realize that when you do, you conform to the image of your Christ. How does the story look from Peter's side? Though he finished well, he had a glitch in his track record because his name went down as the one who abandoned Jesus. After all Jesus did for him, Peter could never say that he was there for Jesus when our Savior asked for his help. What about you? How have you responded to God's prompting in your life? How have you responded to those who have poured into your life when they are in a place where they need your help? How would you like your name to be recorded in history? I pray this devotion blessed you in a special way. When I pray for you, I hear a victory song. I believe in you because I believe I the power of God's word revealed in you when you put His word into action.