"Face the Music"

"Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew." (John 18:27 KJV)

  "Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner - yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there." (Psalm 51:4-6 NLT)

 Back to Jacob, and the point, "what goes around comes around," I was thinking about several things that Jacob deceived people with, and how he ended up being deceived in like fashion. When he was young, his mother made him appear to be his brother, with goat skins on his arms and neck to make him feel hairy; then when he was older, his sons killed a goat, dipped Joseph's coat in its blood, and sent it back to Jacob saying Joseph was killed by a wild animal. 

 And, as if that wasn't proof enough, he was tricked into getting married to Leah, instead of Rachel; as he thought he was sleeping with Rachel, but Laban took Leah in with Jacob instead of Rachel. As the Bible says, "But when Jacob woke up in the morning - it was Leah! "What have you done to me? Jacob raged at Laban. "I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?" 

 Amazingly, God always works everything towards the good! Even those things we do that might be foolish, wicked, or deceitful; He can turn everything that is bad or wrong into something that works out to be part of His plans and purposes; even this situation with Peter; yes, even Peter's denial of his Lord! 

 I have chosen this title, Fase the Music, because it is exactly what we must do! Just as David did, after Nathan had informed him that his secret was not a secret with God! Not only did God know, and Nathan obviously was shown; but Joab, David's general, knew also. And, whether we can believe it or not, Satan is also well aware of our situations we put ourselves in; and he will use them against us! 

 When Jesus told Peter that Satan wanted to sift him as wheat, it wasn't these denials that would be doing the sifting, it would be the punishment that Peter would be putting upon himself, after he heard the cock crow, and made eye contact with his Lord! That must have been quite a look; much like the kinsman of the servant who Peter had cut of his ear, had looked at Peter, as they watched his assault take place.  

 His image was burned into their mind, just as Peter's image of the look from Jesus was burned into his mind; he most likely could not get it out of his mind. Every time he would close his eyes, there it was, tearing him apart! 

 Face the Music is really not something to be feared; at least not, if you are facing the Lord...

"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me, now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return back to you." (Psalm 51:7-13 NLT)