Mark 14:37

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And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?

It was only one hour. Maybe to a 4-year-old an hour is a long time, but for most of us, an hour is but a blip of time. Our Sunday afternoon football games take three hours. Some of our baseball games run four hours. A round of golf, including a trip to the clubhouse?

It strikes me today that Jesus' urging to Peter to wake up is yet another call to be faithful, another call that not only will Peter fail but one that we fail. Remember, this is Peter, too ... Peter, a disciple who has been walking with Jesus for three years. Peter, a man who has witnessed countless miracles. Peter, the man on whom God will build the church (Matt 16:18). Peter, who has given up everything to be with the Lord.

But Peter is just like you and me: he not only falls asleep in unfaithfulness, he turns around the next day and denies he even knows Jesus. "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak," Jesus reminds us. 

Yes, our spirit is certainly willing, but then we fail every day. Why, Lord, why do I fail? Free me depravity, Lord. So we pray, acknowledging that "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us," as we are reminded in John's first letter. 

This story from Mark reminds us that even when we long to be faithful, even when we pledge to be faithful, we won't be. "Even if all fall away, I will not," Peter declares in Mark 14:29. 

But rest assured, Jesus still loves you, this we know. Jesus still gives us assurance he is faithful, that he redeems our lost souls, that even when we deny him, he won't forget us. Peter was assured of this in  Mark 16, when the women went to the tomb to find our Lord had risen. "Go, tell the disciples and Peter ..." that he has risen. 

Just believe. God will take care of the rest.



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