One of the hardest things to swallow in life is our own failure. We like to think we are strong, loyal, and brave. When the pressure is on, we confidently declare that we will stand our ground.
Peter did exactly this on the night of the Last Supper. When Jesus told the disciples they were all going to abandon Him, Peter boldly promised that even if everyone else fell away, he would never stumble. Jesus knew better. But to explain why the disciples’ failure was inevitable, He quoted the prophet Zechariah: “I will hit the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will go off in all directions.” (Matthew 26:31-35)
Jesus was unveiling a profound mystery. The cross wasn’t an accident. It was the deliberate striking of the Shepherd by God the Father in order to save the sheep. The disciples had to scatter so that Jesus could face the darkness entirely alone, absorbing the penalty for your sin and mine.
But the most staggering part of this story is the grace of Jesus. Knowing with absolute certainty that these men were about to cowardly abandon Him in His darkest hour, Jesus still washed their feet. He shared a meal with them. He promised to meet them in Galilee after He rose from the dead. I’m learning to rest in a Savior whose grace is given to us before we even make the mistake. How about you?