Perceptions #52

"Ask Not For Whom The Rooster Crows"

by Doug Strange

"Then Jesus told them, 'This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." But Peter declared, "even if I die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same (Matt. 26:31-35).

...Then all the disciples deserted him and fled... Matt. 26:56

..."I don't know what you're talking about," Matt. 26:70

..."I don't know the man!" Matt. 26:72

Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Matt. 26:75-75)

How often it is that we make bold claims or statements that we will do something for God. At the time we are sure and certain we will carry out that which we have declared.

Time has a way of nullifying good intentions. Our minds forget, or we simply get distracted. Before we know it, we may find that the opportunity for what we declared we would do is gone.

Intentions can be great, but if they are not acted upon, is there any real value to them? There are those of us who probably have a good idea of what Peter may have felt like as he heard the rooster crow. At times we've heard our own rooster crowing. It's then that we're awakened to the realization that we've not carried out that which we intended to do.

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