Tag Archives: failure

June 14
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Uncategorized Aside

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?'” (John 21:15, NIV)

This is a complex passage of scripture because its few words carry a number of number of applications — and these daily notes are, by intention, short. So, today, I will address one application, and take-up the other applications in subsequent days. Deal?

On perhaps the deepest level, Jesus’ questions to Peter are designed to restore Peter to fellowship: “Do you (Peter) love me more than these (other disciples)?”

Where Peter had first loudly and persistently proclaimed that he loved Jesus more than everyone else, Peter later denied even knowing Jesus when pressed — a grievous offense in any friendship.

In our own relationship with Jesus, when times are “fat,” do we promise more than we are willing to deliver when times are “lean”: That is, when “being Christ in our corner of the world” is personally costly in terms of time, treasure, or reputation?

No one knows where he or she will be tomorrow. God will provide all that we need in the moment, and for the moment — time, treasure, helpful accomplices, and inspiration; but when we engage in self-promotion, we “write checks we cannot cover.”

It is in “lean times” that we learn — as Peter did — that while we may not know what the future holds, it is best to know Who holds the future (and it isn’t us).  – Luther

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February 18
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Uncategorized Aside

Today’s note is a bit longer than usual; and it is from the works of Oswald Chambers (1874-1917). However, I hope that you will find its encouragement to press-on after missed or ignored opportunities of great help.  – Luther 

“Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:46, NIV)

In the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples went to sleep when they should have stayed awake, and once they realized what they had done it produced despair. 

The sense of having done something irreversible tends to make us despair. We say, “Well, it’s all over and ruined now; what’s the point in trying anymore.” If we think this kind of despair is an exception, we are mistaken. 

It is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize we have not taken advantage of a magnificent opportunity, we are apt to sink into despair. But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, “Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing.” In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him.

There will be experiences like this in each of our lives. We will have times of despair caused by real events in our lives, and we will be unable to lift ourselves out of them. 

The disciples, in this instance, had done a downright unthinkable thing — they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus. But our Lord came to them taking the spiritual initiative against their despair and said, in effect, “Get up, and do the next thing.” 

If we are inspired by God, what is the next thing? It is to trust Him absolutely and to pray on the basis of His redemption.

Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step.

(Oswald Chambers, “My Utmost for His Highest”)

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February 13
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Uncategorized Aside

“Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. 41 ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.'” (Matthew 26:40-41, NIV)

We are full of potential!  Of all of the external influences that conspire to limit our achievement and hobble the power of the spirit within us, physical fatigue is arguably the most formidable.

Then, we are tempted to blame our failure to follow-through on our physical limitations: We are old (or young); we are ill-positioned; we are exhausted; we are handicapped. Jesus did not expect the disciples to do more than any of them were able. He never did. He expected only that they watch with Him for 60 minutes.

Our physical limitations are real, but they are not insurmountable — especially if we are willing to pray as we stand watch; and watch as we stand praying. Our physical limitations are real, but they are not insurmountable — especially if we are willing to include those nearest to us in the task.

What might have been the outcome, despite their fatigue, had the 11 disciples chosen (as Paul and Silas did some years later in prison; please see Acts 16:22-26 for the full story) to watch and pray and sing hymns to release the spirit; energize the flesh — and see the power of God come down?  The spirit is willing!  – Luther

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