Scriptural Reading: Luke 22:31-34, 54-62
“But he (Peter) said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ Then He (Jesus) said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.’”—Luke 22:33-34
Mistaken identity is a terrible thing. It can lead to anything from simple embarrassment to unjust punishment for a crime not committed. What happens when the mistaken identity is a case of no longer recognizing ourselves, or coming to terms with seeing ourselves for who we are?
When Jesus foretold Peter’s denial, Peter boldly proclaimed he’d follow Jesus to prison, even die with Him. At the moment of truth, Peter found himself vehemently denying he even knew the Jesus he attested to be the Christ. Afterwards, Peter was reduced to bitter tears for his denial.
Sooner or later we stumble in our walk. We commit the sin we brashly judged others for committing. We fail to keep the promise we vowed never to break. We fall short. As Peter realized, it’s a humbling, even crushing experience to discover you’re not the person you thought or claimed to be.
We come to terms with our true identity once fully immersed in the crucible of the test or trial. When we come short, our adversary readily points out how we’ve failed. Regardless of his accusations, even our self-condemnation, we can overcome our failures. Christ stands ready to forgive and restore us to wholeness.
Despite his denial, Peter demonstrated his true, God ordained identity on Pentecost when he delivered a message that ushered in the modern church age with 3,000 souls being saved. Like Peter, we can’t listen to the enemy or even ourselves about who we are. We must identify ourselves based on who God says we are.
Look beyond how we define ourselves and our past failures and determine to become the person God purposed us to be. There, we’ll discover no matter what has happened in life, or what we think of ourselves, God continually stands ready to forgive, restore and use us!
Lesson to Remember: Who we’ve been, even who we discovered ourselves to be doesn’t define who we’ll be at the end of our journey.
“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.'”—Luke 22:31-32
