Lod Arahbull Box

A Series on Living in the Wilderness
Peter
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Matthew 26:31-35; 69-75 

[In this series we’ll be looking at people who lived in the wilderness of life. In fact, there are times when we all feel like we are living in the wilderness. During those times, it’s important to remember that the Lord is faithful, that He loves you and is always with you.]

  

Quite a few years ago we were on our way to meet some friends for a vacation in Kentucky. Unfortunately, we were running late so I called the lodging office to let them know that we wouldn’t make it before they closed.

 

The lady who answered sounded very nice and proceeded to tell me that the key would be available in the “lod arahbull box”. I asked her to repeat that, which she did. But I still had no idea what she’d said. It took me a minute before it hit me that she had said “late arrival box”. She had a distinctive Kentucky accent.

 

Jesus and his disciples were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. There was a lot happening during their Passover meal. Judas had already decided to betray Jesus. Some of the disciples argued about who was the greatest. Meanwhile, Jesus washed their feet and served them bread and wine.

 

At the end of the meal, Jesus told his disciples that they would desert him that same night. Proud and impulsive as always, Peter declared that he would never desert Jesus. Even if he had to die with him, he wouldn’t deny him.

 

Jesus told a different story.

 

³⁴ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”           NLT

 

Following this, Jesus and the disciples went to Gethsemane where he was arrested and taken to the chief priests’ home. Peter followed him there but remained outside with others which included servants who recognized him as a follower of Jesus.

 

He denied it! In fact, he denied even knowing Jesus! On the third time he was identified by his Galilean accent. This time, Peter not only swore that he didn’t know Jesus, but he also called down a curse upon himself.

 

As he said this, a rooster crowed and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. It was then that he remembered the prediction that Jesus had made earlier that night. Scripture tells us that “Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly”. He was living in the wilderness.

 

His public betrayal of friendship and loyalty was devastating. For all of Peter’s bluster, he had failed far beyond what anyone could have imagined. He had failed his rabbi, his close friend and the man who he had proclaimed was the Messiah.

 

Despite his failure, Jesus gave Peter a second chance. He saw Peter’s potential as a leader of the church; as the Rock that he could build upon. He knew that Peter was a work in progress.

 

¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.             NIV    Ephesians 2

 

Like the “lod arahbull box” lady, Peter was identified by his accent. As Paul wrote, we are the Lord’s handiwork, and he has created us to do something special. Hopefully, our good works will be our accent that identifies us as a follower of Jesus.

 

Copyright 2024 Joseph B Williams

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Survivor

Genesis 47:13-26

 

Survivor is a popular TV reality show in which contestants try to “outwit, outplay and outlast” the other competitors in order to win the grand prize of $1 million. Participants have been willing to go to almost any lengths to win including lying, stealing, manipulating and back-stabbing.

 

The people in Egypt and Canaan found themselves in a survival situation, only it wasn’t a game. The famine became so bad that the people were starving. At first, they spent all their money for grain. When that ran out, they traded all of their livestock. Finally, they traded not only their property, but their very bodies. They became slaves to their desires, and as a result to Pharaoh.

 

But, let’s examine Joseph and Pharaoh for a minute. As a result of the famine, they accumulated tremendous wealth at the expense of the people. Because of Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, they were like inside traders who knew what the stock would do. Instead of telling the masses the future so that they could get ready, they planned and prepared so that when the time arrived, they could prosper at the expense of others.

 

At times, we all fall into one of the above groups: victim or victimizer. What are we willing to do to survive? Would we throw our principles out the window to get what we want? It is human nature after all. What if you are in power? Would you do what is best for you or for others? Would it come down to “it’s him or me”? Whichever side of the coin you find yourself, there is a message for you from Survivor.

 

The title of Survivor this season is Second Chance because each person on the show has played in a previous season and lost. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a God of

second chances. God gave Joseph a second chance to provide for his father and brothers, thus taking another step towards fulfilling His covenant to make a great nation out of Abraham.

 

And now, through Jesus Christ, we have a second chance to be a part of that same covenant. Not a second chance to just survive, but a second chance to live our lives for Him; to follow Him; to love Him with all our heart, mind and soul. God has given us a second chance so that we might share THE Second Chance

with others.

 

“And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you [abundantly], And make your name great (exalted, distinguished); And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others];”            Genesis 12:2 AMP