The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-04-29

Y NJ
does not always mean the first turn
ing of q soul to God. 1t may be the
turning of a saint from s sin into
(which he has fallen. Restore" is,
therefore, what the word means here,
as the revised version makes clear:
"When once thou hast turned again"
How the Lord has been criticised
here: "Why did he not keep Peter out
Of sin? Why not pray that he should
not fall into it?" No, he permitted
him to fall into Satan's hands in order
to convert" him from his self-right-
eousness and self-suficiency. Peter
protested: "Lord, am ready to go
with thee, both into prison and to
death p Though all shall be offended
because of thee, yet will never be
offended" And to each outburst the
Lord replied: "Peter, cock shall not
crow this day, before that thou shalt
thrice deny that thou knowest mer
And we have but to turn the page
to read The fulfillment of this predic-
ton. Verses "a to 81 tell it all. The
moral distance of Peters soul from
Christ expressed in his self-satisfac-
ton was now expressed in the phys
icai distance at which he followed the
Lord to the high priests house. And
1t was quite easy then to 'sit down
among" his enemies; and apparently
easy also to say: II know him not"
''Man, know not what thou sayest."
s'And Immediately, while ne yet
spoke, cock crew." "And the Lord
turned and looked at Peter"
Oh, that silent look of the Saviorl
40 word was spoken. None was nee
essary.
He has looked at you dnd'm me In that
way--a look of grief mingled with
compassion. 1t searched out Peters
heart to it's depths. All, we know
what that look conveyed. "And Peter
Remembered the word"
The Advocates work does not end
%ith the putting away of the stain of
our sin; it searches our hearts and
brings us to self Judgment and the con-
fession of sim How often does word
OF Scripture spring suddenly to mem
cry to rebuke us and to recall us from
some careless wayl So here, peter
remembered the Word of the Lord
and went out and wept bit
terly."
But we cannot leave him there, out
in the night weeping out his heart.
The Advocates work is not yet done,
and he does not leave him there. In
the last chapter of Mark we find this:
s'But go your way, tell his disciples
AND PETER" The Lord is risen from
the dead and seems to regard the
breach between himself and Peter as
though it had not been. He knows
that that he would never appear at the
meeting in Gali]ee without it.
When we turn to the last chapter
of Luke's gospel and find Peter in his
place among the eleven, with no ques-
ton as to his right to be there, we are
not surprised, and that because of
what has. gone before. ''The Lord is
risen indeed, andehath appeared to
Simon" A private meeting with ST
mon! Secretly, the Lord seeks him
out and has the whole thing out with
him. We are not told what was said.
II was unnecessary to tell us, for we
know! "He shall not fail nor be dis
couraged." Blessed Lord! As my
Advocate, he shall not fail until he has
brought me, alone with himself, in self
Judgment and confession.
There is one more scene that must
not be overlooked. 1t is in the last
chapter of Johns gospel When Peter
heard that it was the Lord who had
greeted them from the shore, "He grit
his fishers coat unto him and did cast
himself into the sea-" Impatient to
be with the Lord, that boat is too slow
for him! And when he came to shore
the Lord said, and he said ii to SIMON
Peter, "C0me and diner And Peter
feasts with the risen Christ, who has
spread the banquet with his own
blessed hands! Fellowship once more
The restoration is complete! And now,
s'Feed nay sheep" "When thou art
restored he had said, strengthen
thy brethren" Now restored to the
fellowship lie had forfeited, his
strength changed to weakness, the Lord
commits his sheep to his hands. =