Mark 14:28

“You will all fall away…
But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”

I almost missed it. It was our second date, and I almost missed it. Mindy and I had been conversing online for some time, but we had only just met face-to-face two weeks earlier.

I’d shared with her how I was struggling at work, and I’d opened up to her about some of the wounds from my past. And as I often do, I began to turn in on myself, focusing on my pain and frustration.

That’s when she said it. “I wept for you last night in prayer.” Her words touched my heart and broke through my self-pity, and even though Mindy already knew how I felt, it was then that I began to realize I was falling in love.

But I almost missed it. I was so focused on my frustration and pain that I almost missed those eight words that changed my life forever.

The disciples did miss it. Jesus had just told them they would fall away and desert Him, but then He gave them the most amazing words of hope they could have heard – “after I am raised up, I will go before you” — and they missed it.

The disciples, especially Peter, were so busy objecting to the first part of what Jesus said that they missed out on the hope He was offering them. Jesus was going to rise again!

When Jesus’ prediction of Peter’s denial came true, Peter could have realized the other prediction would come true as well. Jesus’ promise was confirmed, and that realization could have given Peter hope in a dark time. Because Jesus’ words were accurate about Peter’s failure, they would also be accurate about Jesus’ victory.

Don’t miss out on the hope Jesus offers. Look to Him and be saved.

Father, help me today to take my eyes off myself and focus on You and Your words of hope. Thank You for sending Jesus to make all Your promises come true. Amen.

Contributed by Steve Moser