And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:75
… at the end; – lies a new beginning.
Peter was a fisherman. Then the LORD came and called out to him, “Follow me!”  And Peter followed this Lord with heart and soul. He wanted to do everything for his beloved Lord! Until this day. In the evening he still wanted to defend Him with his life, cut off a soldier’s ear with his sword, and a few hours later he denied knowing Jesus: “I have nothing to do with Him.”  Three times in a row! When the rooster crowed and Jesus turned to look at Peter, the realization passed through him:”I had a big mouth, and now I am a total failure, – and HE knows it all…. And he went out and wept bitterly.
Jesus had known it before and had told Peter. But he couldn’t believe it. He was too strong! Too proud, too confident, too sure of himself!
When Jesus died, Peter watched from afar. He was scared. When Jesus rose, he was glad. But an encounter with Jesus came later at the lake. There the LORD asked him,”Do you love me? The question went through Peter like a dagger. But he assured Jesus that he loved Him. Jesus asked three times, and Peter became smaller and smaller. But he kept saying:”I love you!” Then Jesus gave him a new mission. “Feed my lambs!”
Then Jesus said: “When you were younger, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. Follow me!” (John 21,18f.)
Then came Pentecost and the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since then, they no longer locked the doors out of fear. They stood courageously in the midst of the temple and talked about Jesus. And He stood by them with signs and wonders.
So the end of Peter was good. The old, self-confident, strong ego must end and make way for a new, soft, loving, fearless heart. This is a new beginning! Only God can do this: when we are at our end, He can truly begin.
Are you exhausted? Then take His hand, give Him your life and accept His life. Ask Him for His Holy Spirit to renew you and enable you to love Him!
Thank you, Jesus! There are no hopeless cases with you! You renew life! You give purpose and meaning to life! Indeed Lord, I am, I am so glad that I belong to you!!