When the Lord Looks

Luke 22:39-62

There are times in my life that I try to slink away from God while thinking to myself that my foolish deeds might remain hidden.  The truth is that God sees and knows all.  I usually think to myself that God must look at me with the same kind of shame I am feeling in moments of personal failure.  BUT GOD has revealed something more impressionable to each of us through His Son, Christ Jesus, as the demonstration of how He really sees us in those moments.

In our text this week, verse 61 says, “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”  The original Greek word used here for “looked” is the same as when Jesus “looked” at Simon Peter upon first meeting as described in John 1:42.  The original Greek word used in both cases is indicating a concentrated gaze with special interest, love, and concern.  Think about that word meaning for as long as you need to.  The same original Greek word is also used in Mark 10:21 when Jesus gives this look of love to the rich young man who fails to live up to His command.  If this is how the Lord looked at these in their failing moments, it would seem fitting that this is how He still looks at His followers today when we are going through any personal failures. 

One thing is faithfully true, Jesus will give Himself to do for us what we could never do for ourselves.  He did it then and He’ll do it now.  Because of His great love, Jesus looks to come to our side, save us from ourselves, and restore our relationship.  Peter knew he had failed Jesus.  But Jesus looks for more to his story.  Maybe by the grace of God, you also know there are times you have failed Jesus.  BUT GOD looks for more to your story and gives each of us good news for just such occasions “…in that while we were still sinners, Christ Jesus died for us.”  When we fail, Jesus doesn’t – His special interest, love, and concern is proven that much more!  May this truth sink into our thoughts in such a way that right now we find our restoration and relief in God’s real view of us.  Then let us share it with a world in need of the same good news. 

Grateful and hopeful in Christ, 

Jon