Day 33 | April 8

The words of Jesus caught his disciples off guard, especially the bold outspoken Peter, who declares: “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”

And at that time, Peter believed he would stand firm. But we know how it went for him and the others. Their fear of loss and the possibility of death overcame their mental and verbal commitment to remain true to their Master.

That humanity is seen throughout this passage as Jesus struggles through an excruciating night of sorrow—foreseeing His betrayal, rejection, abuse, and sacrifice.

The disciples wanted to be there for Jesus, but they were weary, and, not sensing the gravity of the moment, they all too easily slipped into slumber. Afterward, they would be ashamed.
Jesus was disappointed, but He, like us, was human, and He understood their weakness.
There are times when we, too, have good intentions for the Lord. We believe our faith is solid and that nothing can rob our commitment and joy. But, then, the reality and stress of life kicks in, and, suddenly, we are caught off guard by the moment, and we fail to live up to what we know God expects of us.

The good news is Jesus understands, and as God, He is there to forgive us when we fail.
The devil uses our conscience to beat us down when we sin or grieve the Lord in some way, but that is his deceit. Like the father of the Prodigal Son, Jesus is always waiting right in front of us, arms outstretched, ready to embrace and help us to find release from the shame and guilt of our bad choices and to return to the path of holiness.