When God’s Name is Unpalatable

While all this was going on, Peter was down in the courtyard. One of the Chief Priest's servant girls came in and, seeing Peter warming himself there, looked hard at him and said, "You were with the Nazarene, Jesus." He denied it: "I don't know what you're talking about." He went out on the porch. A rooster crowed. The girl spotted him and began telling the people standing around, "He's one of them." He denied it again. After a little while, the bystanders brought it up again. "You've got to be one of them. You've got 'Galilean' written all over you." Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about." Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears. Mark 14:66-72(MSG)

It is no coincident or surprise that sometimes we do not find it palatable to identify with Jesus. The natural man cannot but repel any affiliation with a holy God because such will confront and seek to dethrone the authority is has always enjoyed. Anytime an enclosure with the natural man seems comfortable, the name of Jesus often tastes bland. We all know those times when the object of our lust seem to present an occasion for us to take a bite, those times when licking the honey that was forbidden seem to have the greatest attraction for us, those times when our company looks so impeccable that the mention of the name of Jesus could seem to tarnish our personality, those times when a little lie to strike the next deal stands between us and the profession of our faith, those times when the sweetest note in seraphs song appear to be a out of tune in our melodies. At such times, God’s name is unpalatable.

 Peter came to this same point and did what many of us have done, is doing and will do. He denied his Master. How do you think it's that simple to identify with the man who everyone is set to crucify? How many people will stand at such times? Really, there are times when the name of Jesus tastes unpalatable. What is the way out at this crossroad? Maybe, he shouldn't have been there in the first place after all he couldn't have preached to anyone at such environment and he was not ready to die with the Master. These are times when our feet surreptitiously drag us to our death. Peter's presumptuousness gagged his testimony. It will always pay to give up on self and follow Divine wisdom. Jesus went to eat with sinners when He had time to be their physician and not when they sought to take His life before the appointed time, though He is the Son of God. Wisdom is profitable to direct. It is more profitable to avoid these near-death scenarios than to fall headlong especially when we know the possible outcome. It takes a Daniel to fall into the lions’ den and not eaten up as well as it takes the three Hebrew boys to go into the furnace and not burnt. They were moments of Divine manifestation and a season of national revival. Unless, we are bidden for such end, it will be very foolish to enter the enemy's courtyard and expect to profess the name of God freely. While you still have time, retrieve your feet from the atmosphere that makes the name of Jesus taste unpalatable, that company where you cannot boldly declare that you belong to Jesus. When Peter became a victim, he collapsed in tears. I guess not before the people he had denied Jesus. Should you not as well leave that environment now and go cry bitterly for mercy? Even when we are faithless (and treated His name as soured), God remains faithful. Welcome home.