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When The Rooster Crows


Luke 22:31-34

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”

Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me” (NKJV).

Luke 22:60-62

But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly (NKJV).

I can only imagine the anguish Peter must have felt after this moment. Betraying someone he loved so deeply, even after vowing to stand by Jesus’ side, must have cut him to the core. Yet, one thing is sure: Satan never misses an opportunity to plant seeds of guilt and condemnation. After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, do you think the roosters stopped crowing? No. When Peter hears that familiar sound every morning, you can be sure the enemy is quick to whisper, “You denied Christ.”

I woke up one night at 2:00 AM and found myself repeating three times, “Every time the rooster crowed, Peter suffered from PTSD.”

Here’s how PTSD is defined:

"PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Common symptoms include unwanted memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the trauma" (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

While we may not often think of Peter’s denial as a trauma, imagine the weight of his regret and sorrow. That one moment of weakness haunted him. Like many who experience trauma, Peter might have avoided anything that would remind him of his failure — including roosters crowing at dawn.

We even see a possible sign of avoidance in John 21:3:

"Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.' They said to him, 'We will go with you.' They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing" (NKJV).

Why did Peter, a man called to be a fisher of men, suddenly return to fishing? Many pastors and scholars have debated this, but I wonder: How far out into the deep did Peter have to go to escape the sound of the rooster’s crow? Perhaps Peter returned to what was familiar to flee the painful reminder of his failure.

Yet, even trying to escape, Jesus met him right where he was. After a fruitless night of fishing, Peter returned to shore and found Jesus waiting for him, with breakfast prepared. And then Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” — once for each denial. This time, Peter wasn’t just grieving for his mistake; he was overwhelmed by his love for the Lord.

Peter denied Christ in the morning, and Jesus restored him in the morning. In that moment, Jesus transitioned Peter’s heart from guilt to grace. And I'm sure the roosters were crowing in the background.

So, how far did Peter have to row to escape the sound of the rooster’s crow? He didn’t have to run far at all — just until he remembered how much he loved Jesus. When we fail, it’s often hard to face ourselves, let alone ask for forgiveness. But we have a promise:

Romans 8:28

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (NKJV).

No matter how far we’ve gone or how deep our regret is, Jesus stands on the shore, waiting to restore us. We can rest in the truth that all things — even our failures — work together for good when we return to Him.

He is: Jehovah-Palat

The Lord, our Deliverer.

Blessings

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