Perceptions #200206

"Peter's Cry"
(Mark 14 and Luke 22)

by Janice Shirah

They captured Christ with Peter standing helpless!
He wanted so to save his precious King!
He drew his sword, preparing to defend Him,
But Jesus told him not to do a thing.

He followed from afar into the courtyard
Of the house where they had taken Jesus in.
He even sat among the cruel gathering,
In hopes they would not know where he had been.

When warming by the fire, a girl accused him
Of being one of Christ's, he felt great fear.
He even cursed and said he never knew Him,
And the crowing of the cock fell on his ear.

Then Jesus turned and looked directly at him,
And he remembered what he had been told,
The cock crew twice, and thrice he had denied Him.
The shame that Peter felt swelled in his soul.

He never thought he'd cower nor forsake Him!
How could he be a traitor who denied?
He turned and went away a little farther
And knowing what he had done, bitterly cried,

"I loved him more than life, yet I denied Him!
I can't believe I really told that lie!
I said I'd never leave Him nor deny Him,
And that for Him yet even I would die!"

Lord, in prayer it always seems so easy
To say to you I will ever be true,
But when the trouble comes, will I be faithful,
Or like Peter will I prove disloyal, too?

For if I fear, becoming really anxious,
Depending on myself, and not on You,
I am forgetting that You said, "Don't worry!"
And in a way that is denial, too! (Luke 12:22-32)

I loved him more than life, yet I denied Him! I can't believe I really told that lie! I said I'd never leave Him nor deny Him, And that for Him yet even I would die!

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