Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

— Matthew 26:75

While it might be easy for us to overlook sparrows and other small birds in our daily meanderings, it can be hard to ignore a rooster if we see or hear one: the gurgling, jarring, sometimes ear-splitting racket is enough to wake anybody up!

In our reading for today, the sound of a rooster crowing became a devastating wake-up call for Peter. He had promised to be faithful, but when it came right down to it, he chickened out, and he denied ever knowing Jesus. And, of course, Jesus knew that would happen. It isn’t easy to identify with a suffering Savior.

Sometimes today too, the Holy Spirit may use ordinary things in our lives to help us see how we have let Jesus down. It could be on social media, or at work, or when we’re driving that we are suddenly pierced with an awareness of how we haven’t done the right thing, and that we too are capable of denying our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Thankfully for us all, God is merciful. In John 21, after Jesus has died and risen again, he lovingly restores Peter, calling him to serve faithfully (John 21:15-19). Through his perfect love, Jesus also reverses our denials by reclaiming us as his own.

Lord Jesus, we are sorry for the ways we have denied you in our lives. Forgive us, restore us, and empower us to claim you as our Lord. In your name, Amen.