Nothing but the real thing

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying,“Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.  Luke 22: 54-62

This story leaves nothing to the imagination.  I can picture it blow by painful blow.  The chilly night filled with confusion.  Very much caught up in the present and not so much in the big sweep of history.  Thoughts stiff and awkward and incoherent as they try to sort out by the warmth of the fire.  Hunched over and staring at the red coals.  Not at all looking upward to the soaring sparks and steady stars and the broad expanse of eternity.  

A story that has been relived and retold, over and over.  How could I have been so in the moment?  Who I am and not who I long to be?  Wretched man.  For I do not do what I want--instead, I do what I hate.

For this too He died.  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.