At the Heart of Every Fall

Peter had no idea that a storm was brewing. He never realized that his world was about to change within minutes.

Jesus was praying in anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Bible tells us He “was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44 NLT).

Then along came Judas Iscariot, followed by the temple guard and Roman soldiers with spears, shields, swords, and torches. There was one very zealous guy leading the charge: Malchus, the servant of the high priest.

So, Peter pulled out a sword, took a swipe, and cut off the man’s right ear. Peter probably was trying to cut off his head. But he was a fisherman, not a swordsman.

Then Jesus told him to put away the sword, saying, “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:52–54 NLT).

Peter got things turned around. He was sleeping when he should have been praying and fighting when he should have been surrendering.

As for Malchus, Jesus healed him. The last miracle of Jesus was healing the ear of the man who came to arrest Him. That showed the Lord’s love to the very end.

Sometimes, like Peter, we forget to pray. And failure to pray can actually be a sin. Sin isn’t just breaking a commandment, though it includes that. There is also the sin of omission. James 4:17 reminds us, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (NLT). And 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18 says, “Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT).

Peter fell because he trusted in human effort instead of God’s power. He also followed Jesus at a distance. Matthew 26:58 tells us, “Peter followed him at a distance and came to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end” (NLT).

Take, for example, a marriage that is falling apart. A couple can cite various reasons, from money problems to parenting problems to a lot of arguments. But where it broke down was in their communication. Something happened. The friendship and companionship they built their marriage on isn’t what it used to be. And then other things found their way into a fractured marriage.

The same is true of our relationship with God. We drift away from the Lord in closeness. We’re no longer starting the day with Bible study and prayer. We’re too busy doing other things. Then other problems develop. And we find ourselves following Him at a distance.

That is what happened to Peter. And this distance from the Lord in closeness and fellowship is at the heart of every fall.

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