Trust & Obey...Right Away

I’ve been reading through a Bible plan about the life of Jesus, and I recently landed on Peters denial of knowing Him.

I’ve read this story many times before, and each time, I was left wondering how a man that spent daily time with the promised messiah, could deny that he even knew him.

Peter had spent years walking with the gentle and true shepherd.

He watched miracle after unexplainable miracle happen right before his very own eyes.

He experienced blessing after blessing every single day.

And still, when the threat of significant loss and death was at the door, he turned tail and ran.

He not only ran, he ran while fervently denying that he had ever known the Son of God.

As I read this account for the umpteenth time, an old memory flashed in my mind.

A memory that had haunted me for years.

The memory of a time, when I too denied Jesus.

Not in the way that Peter did, but still, I denied him all the same.

Years ago I was shopping at Walmart with my kids when an old man walked towards us.

This man was hunched over something awful.

You could tell that he had a spine issue going on, and all I could think was how miserable he must be.

I thought about how hard his life must be, and I couldn’t imagine living the rest of my own life, bent over in such a way.

I was then filled with sadness as I watched him pass by with his cane.

I began to imagine the pain he must be in, and all the anguish that must come when you live out your last days without normal abilities.

My heart began to cry out for mercy for the broken old man, and it was in that moment that I felt it, the prompting to pray and go lay hands on him.

There I was, standing there in the store with my kids, near tears because of the plight of that man.

I stood there with a decision to make, to lay hands on him or not.

I wish that I could tell you an amazing story of sweet surrender, swift obedience and supernatural healing…but....to my shame, I can not.

I stood there questioning if the prompting was from me or from God.

I had never laid hands on anyone before and I absolutely had never stopped to pray for someone in a store.

I rationalized that supernatural miracles like that don’t happen in a Walmart.

I thought of the unwanted attention that I would get from passersby, and the embarrassment that I would feel if I laid my hands on him, prayed, and nothing happened.

The sad part is that I had been with Jesus just that morning during my quiet time.

I had been on the receiving end of his unexplainable miracles, blessings and faithfulness for years.

Yet there I stood, inside of a store filled with people that needed Jesus, but only 3 feet away from 1 particular person that needed him desperately.

Just 1 particular person that I felt led to touch.

In that moment, out of fear, I turned and walked away to the registers to pay for my items.

Then I left the store.

My kids and I did pray for the man once we got in the car.

They had noticed him too and felt prompted to pray.

I thought about going back inside and looking for him, but I started driving home instead.

I drove a few minutes away and thought about turning around to go look for the man.

But no, I chose instead to pray for him again and just keep driving.

The mans face would not leave my mind, and it was then, that I knew I had missed out on something important.

I eventually got home safely, but with a very heavy heart.

I had denied knowing Jesus and thus lost an opportunity to see a grand miracle.

Whether the miracle was to be supernatural healing or salvation for the man, or maybe just deeper faith or a new friendship for me, it no longer mattered because I chose safety over hope and faith.

That mans face stayed with me for a very long time, and over the next year or so I prayed for him every time I thought of him.

I learned a very powerful lesson that day just like Peter probably did when he denied knowing Christ.

I learned that the shame from disobedience and denial, of knowing of our Savior, is way worse than any embarrassment or loss that we might ever face.

I am grateful for the forgiveness and patience that I received afterwards, just as I’m sure Peter was after Christ rose from the grave, forgave and then commissioned him.

But just like Peter, I will never forget what I did or did not do that day.

I will also never forget how the Lord used that experience to strengthen my trust in Him and open my eyes to how easy it is to choose safety over obedience, and in doing so, miss out on something that could change your life.

As you go about your day, ask the Lord to make his voice so clear and plain to you, that your obedience easily follows his promptings.

Then surrender any fears to Him that might keep you or someone else in your path, from experiencing a grand miracle.

The kind of miracle that can change a life.