God knows us better than we know ourselves

 Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Numbers 11:24-13:33
Mark 14:22-52
Psalm 52:1-9
Proverbs 11:1-3 

Let's look at Mark. Jesus tells Peter that he's going to disown Him. Peter is shocked and says that even if everyone else abandons Him, Peter will not. Jesus tells him that before the rooster crows, he will deny three times that he even knows Him. Peter insists that even if he has to die, he will never disown Him.

Of course, when Jesus is arrested, all of the disciples flee. Peter does in fact deny that he even KNOWS Jesus three times, then hears the rooster crow and weeps bitterly. He is later forgiven and reinstated. He does, in fact, become the first Pope! Just think about that - the very first Pope denied three times that he even knew who Jesus was. 

Two things to learn from this: one, no matter what terrible thing you've done, all you have to do is confess and repent. Peter left Jesus to die at the hands of the Romans and ran off to save his own skin, denying that he even KNEW Him, let alone was His disciple. And later Jesus forgave him and made him the first Pope. No matter what you've done, Jesus is calling you to come back to Him, repent, and have your life changed.

Two: Jesus knew Peter better than Peter knew Peter. You would think that if ANYONE knows you, it would be YOU. But most of us don't know ourselves very well. That's why Socrates gave us the very useful advice: "Know thyself." But one of the best ways to know yourself is to listen to Jesus. HE knows us much better than we will ever know ourselves. Listen to what He says to you throughout the Bible. Spend time in prayer with Him every day. Listen to the love and mercy and forgiveness that He pours into your life. Learn to be the person that He created you to be, and that He KNOWS you can and will be one day, as long as you cooperate with His plan to make you into YOU. 

And even if you've done some really stupid, terrible things, remember Peter. From denying he even knew Jesus to becoming the first Pope in the history of the church. He can change you, too.

God, thanks for teaching us so much from so horrible a moment in history.