While the celebration of another Easter is still fresh on my mind, it is easy to remember the victory and freedom from sin I have in Christ. Yet as the days in the year march forward, I sometimes continue making more mistakes than I care to admit. Even after seeking forgiveness, moving past my sin can sometimes feel more like defeat than victory. But the celebration of Easter is not just for a day, it’s for a lifetime!
I think about Peter and his encounter with Christ by the shore following the resurrection. After denying Christ three times, I wonder what Peter must have felt or been thinking! That encounter can remind us of the victory and freedom we truly have when we are struggling to move past mistakes that we’ve asked Christ to forgive.
First, it reassures us of God’s great mercy. I would hate to count how many times I have turned my back on God. How many times have I denied Christ’s commands or put something else ahead of Him. Yet, His compassion never ends. He is always there ready to meet me just as He met Peter.
Second, it reminds me that Christ forgives every single one of my sins and restores me. It’s funny how some of my sins are easier for me to forget or let go than others. Peter denied Christ three times, and three times Jesus confronted Peter. He forgave and restored Peter each time. He does that for you and me too. We are continually given new chances to begin again.
Third, I can live free from any shame. Sometimes, we and other people make it hard to forget the past, the shame, and the humiliation. Yet, Christ erases that past and that shame. Once Christ hears of Peter’s commitment to Him, He immediately asks Peter to look forward, serve others, and do God’s will.
Finally, I know God wants me to continue to live with purpose too. Peter was given the instrumental role in the kingdom of God to build His church. It was a greater role than Peter probably ever realized in spite of his past mistakes. You and I have an important future in God’s kingdom too.
We don’t have to dwell in the past, live condemned, or be paralyzed from moving forward because of our mistakes. We are to keep trusting in Christ and living the life He asks us to live.
Dressed in Faith
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
John 21:15