Oh for Pete(r)'s Sake

I set my schedule this morning. Got it all planned and laid out for the next few standard weeks. Go to bed at 11:30pm and wake up at 7am. Easy enough.

The time now is 2am. And I'm already behind on most of the things I laid out to do in my schedule.

Just yesterday there I was - proclaiming the turning over of a new page as far as priorities and diligence in responsibilities - boldy proclaiming that I'd get everything done as soon as I could. Focus. Focus. Focus.

I know my walk with the Lord is often times like that too - boldly claiming my allegiance to Christ and serving Him with my life - promising daily quiet times and hour long prayer commitments.

Oh, how I fall short.

I'm too much like Peter.

You remember Him? The one who pledged to follow Christ, yes follow Him even to death - and yet a day later was denying His Lord 3 times before the rooster crowed? His emotions had gotten the best of Him - and following Jesus' resurrection, Peter found Himself being confronted by the God of the Universe for his empty and unfulfilled claims (John 21). Passion and Emotions are often void of results.

I'm at that spot now.

3 months into my time in Russia. And i'm looking at it and saying - "well, so much for my emotion-filled cry to take this country by storm in the name of Jesus!"

Yet, regardless, underneath my emotion and passion (like Peter too) - I cannot deny my mistake-proned, yet unyielding love for Christ.

I feel like I'm sitting with him now by the fire with the fish as Peter did (John 21) - and he's asking me "Will, do you love me?".

Oh that I do. I do. I do. I do.

I love how the story is resolved - in that Jesus leaves Peter with the charge to "tend his sheep" - and then leaves Him with something else too...

Something to work in the midst of our emotions and passion (as Peter still showed the passion in Acts that often got him in trouble in the Gospel Accounts).

Jesus left Peter (and I, and all believers) the Holy Spirit!

A Counselor and Guide - God himself - planted in us, which provides the strength and perseverance to give us the needed endurance through emotional roller coaster rides - and the filter that drains out the US in the equation - and overflows and oozes out CHRIST!

That I would choose now to live by the Spirit. To walk with Him. Deny myself and my emotions. And choose Christ...

For Peter's sake :)