24 April

Albert Einstein said, ‘There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.’

As the great Russian novelist, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, considered the great disasters ‘that swallowed up some 60 million’ Russians, he saw the principle trait of the twentieth century was that ‘people have forgotten God’.

When Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter (v.61), Peter knew he had blown it and ‘wept bitterly’ (v.62). Like Judas, Peter had failed. Yet his future was very different from Judas’. God went on to use Peter, perhaps more than anyone else in the entire history of the Christian church. The difference between Peter and Judas was their reaction to failure. Peter was deeply repentant and received forgiveness and restoration from Jesus (see John 21). This gives us all hope.

For all of us, like Peter, our mess of yesterday can become our mess-age today. Our test can become our testimony.

Achan’s sin did not just affect him. It affected the whole camp. God wanted a holy people who were consecrated to him (v.13). Sin and disobedience in the camp affected their purity. The Lord said, ‘You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it’ (v.13).

It is a good question to ask: Is there some area that is not consecrated to God, which is stopping me from receiving the blessings and victory God wants to give to his people?

My experience has been that the Holy Spirit continues to shine his light on the ‘hidden’ areas of my life that I need to deal with. The process will probably never be complete this side of heaven.

The good news for us is that we need no longer fear the punishment of sin that Achan faced. Through Jesus, no matter what your failings have been, you are forgiven and restored.