“After I am raised up, I will go before you…”
Mark 14:28
What does this mean for us? If you belong to Jesus, He won’t leave you in the misery of your failure. The risen Christ is in the business of gathering His scattered sheep. Your giving into temptation isn’t the end of the story. Your falling away isn’t the last word.
Here’s the hope of the gospel: The risen Christ is gathering His scattered sheep. Those who have fallen into temptation can come to Him, and those who have been running away can return.
Did you fail to watch and pray this week? Did you fall into temptation? You can come to Him! Don’t be afraid to come. The risen Lord Jesus Christ knows you and He will not give you up because of your sins or your failures.
Jesus knew you before you were converted. He knew about your sin, He knew your nature, and He loved you then. He knows what you have been since you were converted. He knows your weaknesses, He knows your failures, He knows your inconsistencies, and He loves you now. This was true for the disciples in their failure, and it is wonderfully true for us today.
The scattering of the sheep reminds us how far a real Christian can fall. But Christ knows His sheep, and even if they are scattered, they are still His: “After I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee” (14:28). What happened in Galilee? That’s where Peter was restored. And if you are willing to come to Christ today, He will restore you too.
Try and identify anything that would hinder you from returning to Jesus wholeheartedly today.
