Luke 22:59-65: a reflection

59After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!” 60But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he said to him, “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” 62He went out, and wept bitterly. 63The men who held Jesus mocked him and beat him. 64Having blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?” 65They spoke many other things against him, insulting him.

As Peter denies for the third time that he knows Jesus, and the rooster crows just as Jesus had foretold, a moment passes that pierces Peter to the heart. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And that look, from the Lord Peter had just denied, brings everything home: Peter remembered the Lord's word, how he had said Peter would deny him three times. And Peter went out and wept bitterly. The look of Christ, and the memory it awakened, brought Peter to bitter tears of repentance over his failure.

Notice what brought Peter to repentance: the look of the Lord, and the godly sorrow it stirred. Jesus did not rebuke Peter with words; he simply looked at him. And that look, from the Lord he had denied, pierced Peter, awakening the memory of Jesus' word and the reality of what he had done. It brought not a shallow regret, but bitter tears, a deep godly sorrow over his sin. Peter did not shrug off his failure or excuse it; the look of Christ brought him to genuine, bitter repentance, weeping over what he had done. Godly sorrow over his sin broke him.

That godly sorrow is worth taking to heart, for when we fail and sin, we are to be brought to genuine repentance, not shallow regret. When we sin, we can shrug it off, excuse it, feel only a passing regret; but Peter, under the look of Christ, wept bitterly, brought to a deep godly sorrow over his failure. When you become aware of your sin and failure, do not shrug it off with shallow regret; let it bring you, as it brought Peter, to genuine, godly sorrow, weeping over what you have done. The look of Christ that brought Peter to bitter tears calls us too to genuine repentance over our sin, a godly sorrow that weeps over our failure rather than excusing it; let your failures bring you to true repentance, as Peter wept bitterly under the look of the Lord he had denied, and was, in time, restored.

Lord Jesus, as Peter denies for the third time that he knows you, and the rooster crows just as you had foretold, a moment passes that pierces Peter to the heart. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And that look, from the Lord Peter had just denied, brings everything home: Peter remembered your word, how you had said he would deny you three times. And Peter went out and wept bitterly. The look of you, and the memory it awakened, brought Peter to bitter tears of repentance. Show me what brought Peter to repentance: your look, and the godly sorrow it stirred. You did not rebuke him with words; you simply looked at him. And that look, from the Lord he had denied, pierced Peter, awakening the memory of your word and the reality of what he had done. It brought not a shallow regret, but bitter tears, a deep godly sorrow over his sin. Peter did not shrug off his failure; your look brought him to genuine repentance. Take that godly sorrow to my heart, for when I fail and sin, I am to be brought to genuine repentance, not shallow regret. When I sin, I can shrug it off, excuse it, feel only a passing regret; but Peter, under your look, wept bitterly. When I become aware of my sin and failure, keep me from shrugging it off with shallow regret; let it bring me, as it brought Peter, to genuine, godly sorrow, Lord, weeping over what I have done. Let my failures bring me to true repentance, as Peter wept bitterly under your look, and was, in time, restored.