“And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” – Mark 16:6-7
Do you ever feel a need for a second chance? On that first Easter morning, Peter did. He needed a second chance. It was there in the Upper Room, he had insisted that he would never deny Christ, no matter the cost, no matter the pressure. But Jesus had told Peter it would happen. And not only did he deny the Lord, but Peter denied Him three times. The last glimpse Peter had of Jesus before Jesus was crucified was in the glow of the fire in the high priest’s courtyard, where he actually made eye contact with Jesus. And then he went out and wept bitterly.
What kind of look do you think Jesus gave Peter when their eyes met? Do you think it was one of those “I-told-you-so looks?” Do you think it was one of anger, as if to say, “How could you betray Me?” I don’t believe it was either one. I believe it was a look of love, a look of compassion that said, “I still love you, Peter.” And I believe that is why Peter went out and wept bitterly. He had failed the Lord so miserably. He probably thought there was no hope for him.
But then a message went out from the empty tomb that Jesus had risen!! That message was followed by these instructions, “Go, tell my disciples—and Peter. . . .” It was not, “Go tell the disciples, including Peter, James, and John. . . .” It was just Peter, because Peter needed a special word of encouragement.
Do you need encouragement today? Maybe life seems to have let you down. Maybe you’ve been in a valley for quite some time. You may feel you have fallen short. You didn’t plan on it, but it did happen. And like Peter, maybe you ended up with the wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time, ultimately doing the wrong thing.
God gave Peter a second chance that day. And He will give you one, too—because He is loving, patient and a God of the second chance!
