God Always Seeks Us Out

I’ve been reading through the bible chronologically for almost a year now. Currently, I’m close to finishing the 4 gospels. However, as it grew closer to read about Jesus’ crucifixion I found myself hesitant to read it. I didn’t want to feel like I was just reading “another passage” or hurry through it to click done on my app. I tried to pause and reflect through each version in each gospel. It ended up being divided that you read about the crucifixion and resurrection on separate days. Maybe by coincidence. Maybe by design. In looking at these portions of scripture broken up this way, something amazing was illuminated. God comes looking for us in our most broken times.

In Luke 22, John 18, Matthew 26, and Mark 14, you find the accounts of Peter’s denial of Jesus. Leading up to that, on the night Jesus was arrested, Jesus tells His disciples they will desert Him that very same night. Peter boldly proclaims in Matthew 26:33 “…Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” Jesus quickly corrects Him and tells Him he will in fact deny Him three times before the rooster crows.

Peter was very sure of himself. He had walked with Jesus through His entire ministry. He was the only disciple to step out of the boat to walk on water. (Matt 14) He was the disciple that told Jesus to clean his hands and head after Jesus explained the washing of the disciples feet. (John 13) Peter may have had a bad case of “open mouth insert foot”, but you can’t deny his passion to follow Christ. Looking at Peter after he denies Jesus, the book of Mark records that Peter wept when he realized what he did. Matthew and Luke record that Peter wept bitterly. I can only imagine the amount of tears and the depth of pain Peter felt as he realized He had betrayed Jesus. He had betrayed the very person that saw the best in him. Peter just betrayed His Lord and friend.

Peter’s story could have ended there. His story could have ended like Judas, with him taking his own life in his grief. (Matt 27:3-5) We don’t know exactly what Peter did in between the time after the crucifixion to resurrection. We don’t know if he continued in his sorrow or talked to any of the disciples about what he'd done. We don’t even know if he repented for what he had done. What we do know is what Mark 16 tells us. The two Mary’s went to where Jesus had been laid on the third day and encountered an angel and an empty tomb. In verse 7 the angel instructs them “Now go and give this message to His disciples, including Peter: ‘He is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see Him, just as He told you.” That small line “including Peter” was God seeking out Peter to restore him. He was letting Peter know that despite you leaving me, I haven’t left you. In the midst of Peter’s most difficult failing, God took the time to offer reconciliation. When you think about it, that is the true nature of God.

On that same thought, it reminds me of the garden of Eden in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve sinned and hid, but scripture says God came looking for them. God's first question shows His heart. He asked where they were. It was not, “What did you do?!” with fire and brimstone from His nostrils. In their sin and in our sin we hide, but in God’s love and mercy He seeks us out. God's heart is "I know what you did, but I still want you!"

God is speaking to us that when you fall short don’t run away from Him, run towards Him. Despite that truth, God knows our tendency for fleeing. God knows we try to hide our shame and guilt. As the most loving Father, He comes to us. Jesus’ death was God coming to us. Jesus came to die for us, extending us reconciliation when we did not deserve it or even came looking for it. God’s character does not change. God always seeks us out.