Daily Devotion for April 16, 2025

Devotion:

For an audio version of this devotion, click here.

Read John 18:15-18, 25-27.

Peter, the bold disciple, the one who declared, "Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You!" (Matthew 26:35), finds himself in the cold shadows of denial. Three times, fear overtakes him. Three times, he distances himself from Jesus. Then, the rooster crows.  

How did it come to this? Hours earlier, Peter had drawn his sword to defend Jesus. Yet here, in the high priest’s courtyard, he is afraid of a servant girl’s question. It wasn’t the might of Roman soldiers that broke his confidence—it was the slow erosion of courage in the face of uncertainty, disappointment, and fear.  

We may judge Peter, but we have all been in his place. How often do we deny Jesus—not necessarily in words, but in our actions, our silences, and our compromises? When we choose comfort over conviction, self-preservation over truth, and distance over discipleship, we, too, stand by that fire, warming ourselves while denying the One who calls us to follow.  

Yet, the rooster’s cry is not just a moment of shame—it is a moment of awakening. Luke’s Gospel tells us that at that very moment, "The Lord turned and looked at Peter" (Luke 22:61). Imagine the heartbreak in Peter’s soul as Jesus' eyes met his. And yet, that look was not condemnation, but love. It was a call to repentance, a reminder that Peter’s failure was not final. 

 

Days later, the resurrected Christ would restore Peter, asking him three times, "Do you love Me?" (John 21:15-17). For every denial, Jesus offers restoration.  

Holy Week invites us to reflect:  

• When have we chosen safety over faithfulness?  

• When have we denied Christ in our words, actions, or choices?  

• Where do we need to hear the rooster crow and wake up to the reality of our need for grace?  

The good news is that failure is never the end of our story with Jesus. The rooster’s cry is an alarm of mercy, calling us back to Him.  

Personal Worship Option:

Pray this prayer or another one of your own: Lord, I confess that I have denied You in ways both small and great. I have chosen comfort over conviction, silence over witness, and self-preservation over faithfulness. But Your grace is greater than my failures. Thank You for calling me back. Open my eyes to my own denials, and give me the courage to stand for You, no matter the cost. In Jesus’ name, Amen.