Daily Devotion for Wednesday 23rd July 2025

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.

Reflection

I recall as a child my dad used to say to my sister and I that lying was wrong and often you have to tell other lies to release yourself from the first one! Words I have myself repeated to my children.

As Peter stood in the courtyard of the High Priest he must have done so with some trepidation and fear. Only a few hours before Jesus had warned him that before the cock crowed three times Peter would deny him (John 13:38) and Jesus’ words to Peter followed his bold statement that he would lay down his life for Jesus. And yet, standing around the fire with people he didn’t know, he was asked if he was one of the disciples of Jesus and the word “no” came from his mouth. Hoping that was the end of it, and no doubt longing to see what was happening to Jesus, he was asked a second time; again the word “no” came from his lips. At that point I am pretty sure the penny must have dropped for Peter as the cock crowed.

I, for one, don’t read this passage and point any fingers at Peter for what he did and said. We can all, at times, fall short and deny the presence of Jesus in our lives by failing to stand up for gospel truths. We can deny the presence of Jesus in our lives when we fail to acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, when we don’t stand up for what we believe is right, and when we don’t challenge injustice. I am thankful that we serve a Lord who is infinitely patient and allows us time to be transformed by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Life-changing God,
may we acknowledge your presence and power
in our lives through Jesus Christ.
When we are tempted to deny you
in our lives and in the world,
strengthen us with boldness
to speak out in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
Forgive us for the times when we have denied you in our lives
and may we hear the words of forgiveness and love for us.
Amen.