Mark 14:54-59: in context

As Jesus is taken to the high priest's house for trial, Peter follows, but the text notes how: he followed from a distance, keeping back, until he came into the courtyard, where he sat with the guards and warmed himself at their fire. Inside, the council seeks testimony to condemn Jesus, but the false witnesses cannot even agree with one another. And Peter, following at a distance, warming himself among the enemies of his Lord, is a step away from the denial that will come.

The detail worth pondering is how Peter followed: from a distance. He did not abandon Jesus entirely; he followed, kept him in sight, wanted to see what would happen. But he followed from a distance, keeping far enough back to be safe, close enough to watch but not close enough to be identified with his Lord. And there he sat, warming himself at the enemies' fire, among those who were condemning Jesus, in a compromised, half-committed position. It was this following at a distance, this half-in, half-out discipleship, that set up his denial; a few verses later, warming himself at that fire, he would deny three times that he knew Jesus at all. There is a warning here about following Christ from a distance. Peter's failure did not begin with the denial; it began with the following at a distance, the keeping-back, the half-commitment that wanted to stay near enough to watch but far enough to stay safe. And this is a danger for us. It is possible to follow Christ from a distance, to keep him in sight, to be near enough to be counted a follower, but to keep back from a full commitment that would identify us fully with him and expose us to cost. We warm ourselves at the world's fire, keep our discipleship at a safe distance, stay half-in and half-out; and such a following, like Peter's, is fragile, ready to collapse into denial when the pressure comes. Jesus called for a different following: if anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me, not at a distance but fully. And he warned against the lukewarm, the half-committed, the neither-hot-nor-cold. Peter followed at a distance, warmed himself among the enemies, and fell. The call is to follow Christ closely, not at a distance; to be fully identified with him, not keeping back for safety; to commit ourselves wholly rather than warming ourselves at the world's fire in a half-hearted discipleship that will not stand when tested. Following at a distance is where denial begins; and the safeguard is to follow Christ closely and wholly, not keeping the safe distance that Peter kept before he fell.

Do I follow Christ from a safe distance, near enough to be counted a follower but keeping back from a full commitment that would identify me with him and expose me to cost, warming myself at the world's fire in a half-hearted discipleship, and can I heed the warning of Peter, whose following at a distance set up his denial, to follow Christ closely and wholly instead?