Three Times

Three times Peter denied Jesus (John 18). A couple of weeks after His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" (John 21). Peter responded three times, aware of his own weaknesses. Three times Jesus, forgiving him, restored Peter to the work of being an apostle to which He had called him.

Interestingly, Paul, struggling with his own weaknesses, pleaded with the Lord three times to remove the thorn in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12). I had wondered before: "Three times? Paul only begged about this THREE times? What's up with that?" But today I'm seeing how similar are Paul's and Peter's cases. Christ's grace made them sufficient; nothing in themselves could.