We can't shock the Lord.

Luke 22:27 – 48

So many times people come into my office afraid that is they tell me what they have done that somehow it will shock me. I have heard, just about, it all. What I find more interesting is how many believe, on some level, that God doesn’t know what they have been up to, that somehow if they ask for help or even mention it that God will be shocked. I can see it now, God is in heaven, I tell someone how I have failed and the Lord quickly says to the angels, “Angel, how didn’t we know about this, I’m shocked, I can’t believe Tim did that!” Just so you know that would never happen. One of the great things about God is that He knows everything and still loves us!

Jesus knew Peter’s weaknesses and his strengths. He was emphasizing to Peter that he needed to be aware that he was slipping into his old nature. Rather than calling him Peter, “rock”, Jesus called Peter by his name that represented his old nature, “Simon”. Jesus knew what Peter was going to do, He told him. Something we miss in English is that after Jesus warns Peter about Satan wanting to sift him, He says, “I have prayed for you”! The “you” there is the plural, as Jesus was not just speaking to Peter but to all of the disciples. Remember it was not only Peter that ran away but also most of the disciples scattered and hid during the crucifixion.

God know what we are going to do before we even do it. He doesn’t cause it to happen; He knows the past, present, and the future. For us to believe that we will somehow shock God if He finds out what we have done is just shame from the enemy of our souls. What is even more interesting is that He knows all of the sin we will ever commit and yet still loves us! He knows how many times we will disappoint Him, fail Him, or even turn our backs on Him and He still loves us, still died on the cross for our sins, and still calls us moment by moment to himself!

Isn’t it amazing how much we are loved? Isn’t it amazing the relationship that God has and wants to have with us? I wish we would never fail God, but it happens. The point is, when we fail God, don’t live there. We can’t shock God, we can’t mess Him up with our sin, we can’t shock Him. When we fail, confess it to Him, ask for forgiveness, and then accept His forgiveness and love! Sometimes it is harder to forgive ourselves than to receive His forgiveness.

God knows you, believes in you and loves you. Don’t forget it