ROCK BOTTOM

A huge smile came over my face when I saw an email with the subject line of “Immediately thought of you and smiled!” Needless to say, I was excited to read it, which I did as soon as I saw it. It was from the woman in Tennessee that I wrote about when she sent me a heart rock she painted. She knows, as you may, how God sends me, pretty much daily, hearts in one form or another. They are reminders of His love for me and how I need to share that love with others.

I was on my way to bed and thinking about my next reflection options right before seeing the email. After I read it, I knew she provided the perfect basis for this week’s reflection.

 

Her email shared the following:

~She was moving some big stones to her flower bed.

~There were a total of eight stones, which were stacked four high by two across.

~The original stone pile was a perch for the watering cans she was using to draw rain water, which she hadn’t used in days.

~When she moved the seventh stone, this was what she saw on the lone, remaining stone.

 

 

~This stone had the only wet spot of any of the stones…

on the very bottom of the piles…

underneath all the weight of the other stones…

hidden from view…

yet there was a beautiful  heart on the stone.

~Had she waited a little longer to move the stones, most likely the wet spot would have evaporated.

 

I found her thoughts about our relationship to God and finding this heart insightful. She said,

“Kind of reminds me of where, we as mankind usually end up finding God…

after we’ve exhausted ourselves from moving our “stones” around…

and reach “rock bottom”…

underneath all our struggles and faults and failures and attempts to do it alone…

and all other manners of works of the flesh…

that we find Jesus…

just waiting for us to finally see His LOVE for us before it’s too late!”

 

When we think about hitting rock bottom, it can happen before we come to know Christ in a personal way, or it can happen at any time in our relationship with Jesus. My thoughts turned to Peter, also called Simon, one of Jesus’ original disciples.

 

Photo courtesy of Sapphire Dream Photography under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”  –Luke 22:31-34  (NIV)

Isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus knew Satan would try to get Peter to come to a place of spiritual ruin and because of this, Jesus prayed for him? Jesus knew that Peter would return to the Lord and be called to strengthen the other disciples, too. Peter was sure he would never stray from Jesus and was willing to face death for His sake.

 

Then seizing him (Jesus), they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.  And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.  A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.  –Luke 22:54-62  (NIV)

We see how short-lived Peter’s good intentions of even facing death for Jesus were. Just as Jesus had said, Peter denied knowing Him three times that night. As Peter was denying Jesus for the third time, Jesus’ look pierced Peter’s heart and soul. Peter was truly remorseful and repented immediately as he wept bitterly.

  

 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.  –Matthew 16:13-20  (NIV)

Simon Peter is the one who speaks up, knowing in his heart Jesus is the Messiah, the one they have been waiting for. Jesus assures him he is correct, that God has revealed the truth to him. Because of Simon’s profession of Jesus’ Lordship, Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter and says it is the rock upon which the church was built. The church has the keys of the kingdom of heaven and knows how to live proclaiming Jesus and the forgiveness of sins.

I realized something very interesting while penning this reflection, which maybe you already know. Peter’s profession of Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus calling Peter the Rock both happen BEFORE Peter’s denial and returning to Jesus! What encouragement for us knowing that Jesus, even when we have messed things up big time,  always offers forgiveness and love if we return to Him!

  

How often are we like Peter?

~We have the best intentions of going the distance with God, but get sidetracked?

~Deny knowing the Lord under peer pressure?

~Truly repent of our wrongdoing?

~Know in our heart that Jesus is Lord of all?

~Our actions result in a huge mistake hurting ourselves or others?

~Standing on the truth of Jesus as the one, true Messiah?

 

When we hit rock bottom, do we need encouragement to…

…keep in mind that Jesus is praying for our faith not to fail?

…see Jesus looking into our heart and soul with eyes of love, causing us to repent?

…remain steadfast in our faith, even though we fail in our humanity?

 

Photo courtesy of Deluxe Luxury under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

This week be encouraged to…

…follow Peter’s example of the profession of Jesus’ Lordship in your life.

…hold firmly to Jesus when you are at rock bottom.

…repent and return to Jesus when you have made a major mistake.

…experience the many ways Jesus showers you with His love.

 

Reflection:  When have you hit rock bottom and encountered Jesus’ love? When have you experienced Jesus’ eyes looking into the depth of your heart and soul?

 

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  –Lamentations 3:21-23  (NIV)