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REFLECTION

A broken faith means to stop supporting or being loyal to someone. Can you imagine yourself in a situation were a friend you used to trust, walk, chat and eat with, all of a sudden denies any knowledge of you upon your arrest by the Ghana Police for a crime you have not even committed.

Friendship is golden and a gift from God but when the person you trust and love breaks faith with you and denies your friendship because of the shameful and precarious situation you find yourself in, the heartbreak, shock and pain can be unbearable. This is exactly what Jesus felt when Peter denied him on three occasions. We are told “A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. ⁵⁸ A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. ⁵⁹ About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰ Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” ⁶² And he went outside and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:56-62)

Most of us read Peter’s denial of Jesus and we become judgemental and consequently scold him. Wait!, how many of us would have associated ourselves with a supposedly wanted criminal and will be ready to go through the inhumane and excruciating torture and crucifixion with him or her. Peter ought to be pitied in this regard, I am sure Jesus might have pitied him too. He was simply afraid, confused and powerless.

Jesus had the foreknowledge that Peter will not live up to his words when Peter said he will die with him. Jesus understood that at the the time, Peter and the other disciples had not fully gained spiritual maturity and a full appreciation of the kind of suffering and death he was about to experience or endure.

On the day of Pentecost and beyond, the disciples who became apostles understood clearly their faith, friendship and mission with Jesus Christ and will go on to embrace suffering and even death on account of Jesus.

Beloved in the Lord, if you have truly experienced the love and grace of Jesus Christ in your life then we must remain faithful to him and never deny him even in the face of persecution because Matthew 10:32-33 says “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” Knowing Jesus and loving him must lead you to faith and to the conviction that nothing can separate you from the relationship you have with him

Lent season creates the opportunity for us to examine our relationship with Jesus and reaffirm our faithfulness and allegiance to him all the days of our lives. May your lent season deepen your faith and relationship with Jesus. Shalom.

QUESTION FOR REFLECTION
What actions and inactions of yours can amount to breaking faith with Jesus and denying him as your Lord and saviour?

PRAYER
MERCIFUL FATHER, GRANT ME THE STRENGTH TO REMAIN FAITHFUL AND THE WILLINGNESS TO ENDURE HARDSHIP ON THE ACCOUNT OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. AMEN*