Peter had done everything in his power to prevent this moment. Earlier,
in chapter sixteen, when Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for His pending
time of suffering, death, and resurrection, Peter actually rebuked Him,
declaring that on the contrary, it was simply not going to happen. In this
chapter, he went so far as to brandish a sword when the elders and priests came
for Jesus. As far as he was concerned, the scene now before him, and the
inevitability of Christ’s death, meant the end of everything they had
accomplished up until then. So we find him here in an inconspicuous place with
the servants, in abject despair, resolved to sit and watch to the bitter end.
But as you and I
know, this was not the end; it was the beginning—of redemption, resurrection,
and victory over sin, death, and hell. All that had come before had only been a
prelude. This is why Jesus had come to earth. To see Peter, now huddled
in a corner, watching in despondency, makes us realize how shortsighted even
the best of us can be. It has been said, “It isn’t over till it’s over”;
but for the child of God, it’s never over!
Have you come to
what appears to be, for all practical purposes, an ending place in your life?
Someone, or something in which you have invested time and labor seems to have
come to a disappointing conclusion, and you have resolved to simply sit and
watch for the end? Here’s a thought: Don’t assume you have come to a dead end;
you may have just turned a corner.
Sometimes
what looks like the end is really the beginning.
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