I was walking in my secret place and had my worship music playing. Faintly in the distance I heard a sound that caught my attention; Not because it was loud..but because it was from a distance. I realized it was a rooster crowing as I heard the words….”And the Rooster Crowed.”

Immediately I thought of Peter after Jesus was captured so for days I have been praying and looking at these passages of scriptures to see what the Lord was wanting to show me:

Luke 22:54-62

Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.  But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.  A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”  “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Gallilean.”  Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.  The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”  And he went outside and wept bitterly.

This caused me to take a look at the portion where Jesus tells Peter what is to come and his response:

I can tell you the first thing that caught my attention were the words “Peter followed from a distance..” Oops that’ll get you everytime. The decision of riding fences could be synonymous with “following from a distance..” at times. Other times, silence alone gives the illusion of denial doesn’t it? I wonder do the areas in our own lives look a bit like denial of sorts.. The times we see a good thing to do but turn away, praying for God to send someone… when the someone is us? The sin in our lives that we rationalize as “not a big deal.” The times He tells us to GO and we stay? We tell Him how hard it will be and think of all the excuses (which are usually totally backed up by our favorite scriptures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )so we can be at peace with  denying Him His heart’s desires..

Oh I have done it..He has gently but firmly placed His finger on those places in my own life. For if we are to walk deeper and higher with Christ…He will not allow it to go unnoticed forever. Praise Him for the Joy that comes from simply obeying His Word! He will nag loooooooong…He will keep doors closed…He will withhold blessings He longs to pour out on us, and He will patiently and lovingly wait for our obedience.And at the right time, He will reveal our secrets..which were not really secrets after all:)

When we respond and quit denying Him access to all our lives and let Him fully wreck us…when we humbly submit to ALL He desires…He restores like no other! For He is eager to bless His children..so let us be cautious…maybe we are more like Peter than we think sometimes…(yuck!)

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And the Rooster Crowed..

The rooster crowed
So Peter heard
Remembering the warning of Jesus’ words
Anguish deep from opened eyes
Denial never thought was thine.

Caution!Deception can be great
For it will patiently sit and wait
A time when chaos broods and boils
When suddenly you become it’s spoil.

Pray Thy Lord will give you salve
That once applied will open eyes
That you shall not be as Peter told
Caught in denial as the rooster crowed…

–Shelly Wilson