the God of Peter (as seen through Mark)

So, i've been thinking the past few days how amazing it is that God doesn't quit on us. I just finished reading the gospels and have moved into Acts and its been encouraging to see the difference in the loser disciples lives. In Mark, they kept failing and getting it wrong and focusing on the wrong things and missing the point, and yet Jesus was patient with them over and over again. "Meet me in Galilee." "Tell the disciples, especially Peter." Especially PETER?? But He's the one who denied you and said "let me be accursed if I'm lying - I don't know this man." God, why are you being patient with him? Why are you loving Him? You should strike him dead not say "meet up with me in Galilee."

I wasn't expecting the response "tell them all, especially Peter." (ok, obviously this is only partially true - I've read it before - I knew how it was going to end). But God has opened my eyes through the past 2 years in Mark that there's so much more to it than just a biography of Jesus' life and work. Its not about what he did, its about WHO HE IS. Who is he?? Well, for starters, He's sinless, patient, loving, kind, forgiving, generous, considerate, caring, merciful, amazing and humble. And He is all of those things pefectly. He's perfectly loving. Sometimes I love a little, He is perfectly loving all the time!!! He's completely sinless. There are times when I might go 5 minutes and not sin and I think I'm doing well. There is not one ounce of sin in Him. not at all. That's so different than me. He's patient. I'm, well... not.

That's why my first response is "God - why would you forgive Peter - He denied you when you were being offered up to die!" and why His response was "I know who you are and I knew what you were going to do, now get back in line and straighten up."

And what a difference Peter is in Acts. He is so to speak "on fire" for God. He's being used in unhuman ways. He's impacting thousands of lives. Why? Did he suddenly "get it?" He's a different person here than he was 40 pages earlier. One would almost think that there were 2 Peters in the Bible - the one in the Gospels and the one in the rest of the NT.

What an encouragement Peter is to me. How grateful I am to God that He included this man in His "elite" 12. How it gives ME hope. Hope that God can do the same for me. Strength that when I fail Him, I don't need to be as Judas - without hope or a future - rather I can be like Peter - just simply get back in line and do what I've been called to do. Be who I've been called to be. Mark is a book of hope. though it ends with the disciples still the same as they were at the beginning in so many respects, it also ends with Jesus the same - always loving, always forgiving, always patient. what a contrast. Loser disciples vs the One who was willing to lose everything for them. Hopeless lost kids vs the Creator who brings hope. Impatient disciples that want to be recognized (can I be on the right and left??) vs a Lamb silent before His shearers. Pride and arrogance vs humlility and weakness. Self-exhaltation vs "with You I am well pleased"

I'm so grateful that You are not like me. I would have given up on me. I wouldn't have chosen me. What an amazing God you are. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it. You are awesome (in the sense that I'm filled with awe) and beautiful beyond description. I don't have words to describe it...