Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. 69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is [one] of them.” 70 But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are [one] of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows [it].” 71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!” 72 A second time [the] rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.

– Mark 14:66-72 (NKJV)

It was a moment of weakness. It was a night of betrayal. It was everything Jesus said would happen. Peter didn’t know the gravity of it all until it had happened until he heard the rooster crow. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. There he was, Peter, they guy who said he’d stand beside Jesus no matter what and here he was cowering in the courtyard cursing when a young servant girl asked him if he even knew Jesus.

It took a moment for his heart to catch up with his ears, but when it did he realized the depth of his betrayal. Tears flooded his face. When he thought about it, he wept. The stone cold, brave fisherman was reduced to tears.

So why are we reading about Peter here? What does this tell us about Jesus? Jesus was right in the things he had told Peter and all the disciples before. Somewhere earlier in the night Peter chose to think that Peter was self-sufficient and that should the enemy come, Jesus would need him… He didn’t think that he’d need Jesus. So pride crept in Peter’s heart. This pride that Peter thought would leave him standing in confidence had left him weeping and frustrated with himself of having denied knowing Jesus.

Sadly, there are moments in my life where pride has crept in. I look back and am ashamed of what I thought and how I ended up. I am grateful to know the rest of Peter’s story and mine. I am grateful that Jesus restores the broken. Sometimes that’s what it takes to be really used by God, you have to know your own brokenness and his grace.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. We thankyou for the gift of brokenness over our sin and pride. We don’t want anything standing in the way of our knowing and loving you! Help us to see ourselves as we really are. Empty us of our pride that we might receive more of you. Give us discernment as we apply your word to our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.