LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Tasters from the King's Table
Restoring Peter
Living Waters
After Peter's fall - that is to say his denial of His Master - there are two moments that show the Lord's initiative to restore him. Both happened after his resurrection. The first one is when the angels specifically mention his name so that he might join the other disciples in Galilee (Mark 16:7), and the second when the Lord appears to Peter before doing so to the disciples (1st Cor. 15:5; Luke 24:34).
These two scenes are very significant. Peter had failed so badly and the Lord sets about personally restoring him. Naturally, we shouldn't see Peter's exaltation to a hegemonic position here. It is a question of loving more he who needed it most because he had sinned more. It is true, they had all fled in Gethsemene and had left him alone, but only Peter had denied him three times with his own mouth.
So then: what did the Lord see in Peter so as to deal with him like that?
The first thing he saw were his bitter tears when the cock crowed that night. (Luke 22:61-62). The second thing was the feeling of unworthiness that must have impeded Peter, to the point of not considering himself to be one of his disciples any longer. Those days in which Jesus was in the grave must have filled Peter's heart with fatalistic thoughts: everything was lost! He would never have another opportunity. (Let's not forget that the resurrection of the Lord was not in Peter's plans).
Peter felt deep pain for having denied his Lord, from whom he had only received kindness. From that moment on, Peter entered a deep tunnel that had no light at the end. His feelings of contrition must have been profound and drastic. Peter needed to feel the Lord's forgiveness and to be restored. Who better to do so than the Lord Himself?
The forgiveness and the restoration flow (perhaps even fly) to help the repentant heart. But without repentance there is neither forgiveness, nor restoration. It is always like that. Our failings do not surprise the Lord; his blood is there to cleanse us and his love to restore us. Having barely turned our hearts to Him, contrite and repentant, He immediately acts: in such a beautiful way!