Maclaren: A little faith all undisproved

Thursday, February 24, 2022
Meditation:
    A servant girl saw [Peter] 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 22:56-62 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The dear Lord accepts imperfect surrender, ignorant faith and love, of which He knows that it will soon turn to denial. Oh! if He did not, what would become of us all? We reject half hearts; we will not have a friendship on which we cannot rely. The sweetness of vows is all sucked out of them to our apprehension, if we have reason to believe that they will be falsified in an hour. But the patient Master was willing to put up with what you and I will not put up with; and to accept what we reject; and be pleased that they gave Him even that. His “charity suffereth long, and is kind.” Let us not be afraid to bring even imperfect consecration... to His merciful feet.
    ... Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910), The Holy of Holies, London: Alexander & Shepheard, 1890, p. 364 (see the book)
    See also Luke 22:56-62; Pr. 10:12; John 16:29-32; 1 Cor. 13:4; Titus 3:4-5; 1 John 3:1
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You accept my tarnished gifts. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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