Happy New Year! Out with the old, and in with the new. Given that we have turned the page for another revolution around the sun, what are your thoughts about a new year? Do you reflect on the past year and consider its high points and low points? Are there things that you want to keep or stop doing this year? Do you set goals for yourself at the beginning of a year? Resolutions?
Sometimes I think that beginning a new year is like having a fresh start or a do-over. In golf, this is called a mulligan, and it’s when a player gets to take another chance at hitting the ball to replace a bad stroke. In this line of thinking, are there things this year that you’d like to do differently than what you did last year or in previous years?
When I think about the idea of getting a do-over, I’m reminded about Peter and his relationship with Jesus. Even though he walked with Jesus 24/7 for almost three years, Peter stridently disagrees with Him at the Last Supper. Peter adamantly argues with Jesus when He tells Peter that he’s going to deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows the next morning. In reply, Peter says in Matthew 26:35, “‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.’ All the disciples said the same thing too.” Despite his hubris and heartfelt intentions, Peter does indeed deny that he knows Jesus three times—just like Jesus said.
Shortly after denying Jesus, I suspect that Peter wished he would have made different decisions. Consider Peter’s reaction after his third denial in Luke 22:60-62, “But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, ‘Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.”
Peter couldn’t take back his betrayal of Jesus, and he stood at a distance watching as Jesus was crucified and died. I suppose that Peter had a galaxy of remorse and regret for denying Jesus, wishing with everything in him that he had had the courage to stand up for Jesus instead of cowering in fear and denial.
But maybe Peter did get a mulligan with Jesus after He rose from the dead and Peter, with several other disciples, had returned to fishing in the Sea of Galilee. In John 21, we read that Jesus was standing on the shore of Galilee in the morning while Peter and his disciple friends were fishing. When Peter realized that Jesus was alive and standing on the shore, he jumped into the water, swam to Jesus and had an interesting conversation with Him. During their chat, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”
Some theologians say that Jesus asked Peter three times about loving Him as the counterpoint to Peter’s three betrayals. So, for Peter, maybe this was kind of like a second chance or a do-over with Jesus.
Indeed, I think it’s important for us to accept that God definitely gives us second chances and heaps more! Perhaps getting to start a new year is God’s gift to us so we can embrace a new beginning and a fresh start!
Happy New Year!
