Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself. (John 18:18, NASB)
Having just denied Christ for the first time, Peter found himself by the fire. He was standing and warming himself among the slaves and officers. The imagery is stark. While Jesus is entering into His trial and suffering, Peter is attempting to avoid it. He is doing so in three ways.
Association. Peter is standing among the slaves and officers. He is trying to blend in.
Disassociation. He has denied His relationship with Christ. He does not want to be known as one of His followers.
Worldly Comfort. While his Lord is enduring abuse, he is seeking the warmth and comfort of the fire along with the world.
Peter is not the only one to use these three methods to escape persecution. They are common to us all. Have you ever tried to blend in with the worldly people around you? Have you distanced yourself from your public witness for Christ? Have you sought worldly comforts at the expense of faithfulness?
We are more like Peter than we would like to admit. Let us pray today for strength in the Spirit to avoid these pitfalls and stay faithful to our Lord.
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