When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened. Then they briefly reported all this to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.
Mark 16:5-8
Dear God, Judas took his own life after he betrayed Jesus. I wonder if Peter ever considered it after his betrayal of Jesus. The fact that, in this telling, that the angel mentioned Peter by name indicates to me that Peter was really struggling. What a tragedy it would have been if he had. There is no way, in that moment of despair, that Peter could have known who he would become and the role you had for him to play. His mind wouldn’t let him see it. Satan wouldn’t let him see it. But you sent a messenger to ensure he got the message—man, you’re still my guy.
I talked with a friend this week who called to ask for advice on how to help another friend. Her friend has a middle school son whom they had to put in a mental hospital. He is being scary and destructive. They are afraid of what he might do or who he could hurt, including himself. My advice to her was to first realize how helpless and desperate his parents feel and to accept that she won’t have any advice for her friend. Her job is to love her friend, be there for her in any way, and pray.
There was a movie several years ago with Clint Eastwood that delved into assisted suicide called Million Dollar Baby. Someone was injured to the point of being quadriplegic and Eastwood’s character helped her kill herself because she brought him into her delusion that she had nothing to live for. Watching the movie, I thought of Joni Eareckson Tada. I just looked her up on Wikipedia to refresh myself about her. She turned 69 this past Monday, but she became quadriplegic at 17. She has lived an inspirational life the last 50+ years. Her life changed. Her old temple was destroyed. And it was a terrible reality for her that I wouldn’t want to face. But she absolutely built a new, beautiful temple with her new reality.
Father, I certainly didn’t expect this passage to take me here. And it’s likely that Peter never considered harming himself. I certainly wouldn’t want to suggest this as truth. But it reminds me that those contemplating suicide are in a mental fog that is hiding reality from them. They are hearing voices that are lying to them. So lift the fog for anyone right now in this situation. Speak truth to them. and help them build a temple that will bring you glory.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
Emails to God 