Standing Trial

Let me start by apologizing for the inconsistency of my blogging. Baseball started its home games this week and between that, NCAA basketball and not feeling well, I simply haven't gotten to this computer that much. That's my excuse.

This is the one time of year that I really sit down and watch a game between two teams that I generally do not care about. But infinitely more important than basketball is that it's also the time of year to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

It seems like its sneaked up on me this year since I've been out of town for three consecutive weeks and even when I'm home I just can't find a place that I feel comfortable or on some occasions, not very sound in terms of doctrine. Regardless, I just haven't been doing a very good job of spending time in in fellowship and worship. When I get right down to it, it's like a matter of getting caught up in the "world." Something that the Bible warns us about all the time.

It's been a while since I had a spiritually based post, too. But with it being the eve of Easter Sunday, I feel it necessary to share a little scripture and testimony.

Let me start from the beginning...

The story of Peter denying Jesus three times the night of his betrayal is one that has been with me since early in my youth. I can remember playing the role of Peter in church programs and even in one program, singing a song about "my" despair and personal disappointment.

It wasn't until recently that I realized that I didn't relate to Peter's predicament through the theater, but through real life. Certainly, my denial is not as overt and obvious as Peter's and it is does not occur under such extreme circumstances. Who knows how any of us would have reacted in his shoes on that night. In our minds, or at least my mind, I always think I would stand up and say emphatically, "Yes, I do know Him."

But again, denying Christ through spoken words can be quite similar to denying Him by not saying anything at all.

It's the way I feel when I'm in a crowd of guys (which happens a lot working in athletics) and they are swapping stories about some unsavory topics and using quite colorful language. It's tough to sit there, but if I'm working a game, I can't just get up and leave. But maybe I laugh along with a story, simply encouraging it to continue. Or maybe I don't speak up and say, "Hey, guys, that's enough." That's a tough situation to be in and I'm never really sure what I should do or how I should act. But I do know that as long as I allow it to continue and not do anything about at least removing myself from the conversation, I'm denying Christ by not being clear about my relationship with Him. If I'm in a place I shouldn't be or hearing something I shouldn't hear (and so on) and say or do nothing, the people around me will only have to assume that I am not a Christian.

As long as I've been a Christian, this has been a problem. I suppose the only remedy is getting some guts and if I can't remove myself from the situation, then sharing my faith. What? Am I am worried about being called weird, or crazy? Being called a name is a far lesser fate than what Peter would have endured.

As always, I'm open to suggestions on how these things should be handled.

Another way Peter and I are similar is this: Jesus has forgiven us.

In John 21, Jesus asks Peter, "do you love Me more than these?" And He asked him three times. Seemingly once for each denial. Jesus knew that Peter loved Him, just as He knows that I love Him. But part of being forgiven is asking for forgiveness and not just thinking in my mind that I love Him, but telling Him and showing Him that I love Him.

Even writing this, I felt terrible because of all the times I had sat by silently and allowed myself to become a part of the situation. But I just started reading ahead and in verse 18, God, just as He always does, restores me and gives me hope, telling me that not only am I forgiven, but that He has big plans for me.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."

Now, this obviously was Jesus telling Peter that someday, Peter would die because of his association with Jesus. While death is not necessarily something we look forward to, I would have to imagine that Peter would be relieved to hear this. He loved Jesus and hated himself for denying Him. But Jesus reassured Peter that someday, when the opportunity came again, that he would not fail and instead, glorify God in his death.

This doesn't exactly mean that I and all other believers will also die in this manner. But this gives me hope that when I am faced with a predicament, I will not fail, but rather glorify God and make it known that I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

"But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me..." 2 Timothy 4:17.