I have imagined the reactions and thought processes of those people involved in the Good Friday and Easter narrative.
I hope that it will assist you to meditate on these events with fresh thoughts.
It
was clear from the outset of that dreadful night when Jesus was arrested that I
had been one of His followers, yet I wanted to deny it. I just wanted to carry
on being popular and to protect myself. However, another part of me wanted to
stay close to the Promised One to share in what He was going through.
It
was safer following Jesus from afar, around the brazier with its warmth, rather
than in the harsh circumstances that the Rabbi was experiencing.
It
came as a jolt when a young servant girl identified me as being a follower of
Jesus, the one who had been arrested. Natural instincts meant that I stated
that I didn’t know what she was talking about.
Then
she didn’t keep it to herself but brought in the rest of the crowd, telling
them that I was a follower of Jesus. At this point, I was indignant because I
was pleased to be identified with Jesus when us disciples were all together
with Him, but now things had gone disastrously wrong. My reaction was to deny
being Jesus’ follower for a quiet life.
There
was a period of quiet (for which I was grateful) before the servant girl
started us because it was evident from my speech that I was from Galilee. It
didn’t help when a relative of the person whose ear I had sliced off stated
that he had seen me in the Garden of Gethsemane. When these accusations came, I
found that it was becoming even easier to deny the Person I had regarded as my
Master. In fact, I decided that my accusers would find all the more believable
if I threw in some choice swear words – an action that I am now really ashamed
of.
It
was at that point that the cock crowed. Then I remembered that Jesus had
foretold that I would deny Him three times before this would happen. At that
moment, Jesus marshalled near I was positioned, and He looked at me with grace
and forgiveness even though I had let him down.
My
only response at that time was to run out from that courtyard as fast as I
could. My heart was breaking, and my eyes were streaming with tears of
repentance – I couldn’t believe that I had spoken such brave words in the past
about following Jesus even to death, and yet I let Him down at the first
hurdle.
After
the resurrection, I resolved never to let Him down again as He had given His
all for me, so I should give my all to Him. My clear identification with my
Lord would never again be in doubt.
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