The nails I used ...

Good Friday, March 30, 2018:  I met my friend, Robin, for an early dinner over at a little Chinese place off of the Beltline and then we went together to the service at Calvary. I have never been to a more powerful Good Friday service in all of my life. We were asked to pick up a NAIL out of the baskets as we entered ... so each of us held this rather large, dull-pointed nail in our hands throughout the service.

The Scriptures that were read were all from Mark's Gospel (we've been studying this Gospel as a church since September--in small groups, in Monday Night Bible Study, and our pastors have been teaching through it as well) and the narration was all from Peter's perspective on the events that night. Poor Peter! He had been so sure he would NEVER walk away from Jesus ... he would FIGHT ... he would DIE with Jesus if he must! 

But Jesus knew Peter (and all of us) better than that. And so just a few hours later, Peter fulfills everything that Jesus had predicted would happen. The rooster crowed the second time, Peter claimed he had never met Jesus--swore he didn't know that man!--Jesus looked at Peter, and Peter was crushed with grief, shame, disappointment, regret. Was it arrogance that led to Peter's undoing? Was it disobedience? Was it because he fell asleep in the garden and did not pray?

We were all asked to think about "the nails" we used to crucify Jesus . . . 

FEAR 

UNBELIEF

CARELESSNESS

REBELLION

SELF-FOCUSED GRIEF

DISCONTENTMENT

Those are just a few of mine. And it is sobering to think how quickly I can turn on Jesus. But it is TRUE. Thankfully, His mercy was greater than Peter's failure, and His grace is greater than all my sin. We sang beautiful redemption hymns. At the end of the service, we were asked to come and bring our nails to the foot of the cross ... lay them down ... and give HIM GLORY. Thank you, Lord, for Your great mercy, forgiveness, redemption, and LOVE.