That may be the strangest title ever on this site.
I went running through a different part of town early yesterday morning. To my surprise I heard a rooster doing his thing at about 0510 am. After the shock of hearing this guy belting out his morning recital I began to engage in one of my favorite life practices: spiritualizing daily events.
I am out there running through fairly quiet streets. The morning dew is on the grace; yesterday is gone and today is on the doorstep. I am optimistic. I am hopeful. I am ‘in-sync’ with the newness of things.
I am also forgetful.
This rooster’s ritual reminded me of Peter and his denials of Jesus. I thought of how he confidently asserted his loyalty to Jesus hours before. And I thought of his cowardly unbelief just hours later.
So as I run about the neighborhood I realize that already in this young day I have forgotten the gospel. I have forgotten it because it is not my chief delight and joy. The soundtrack of grace is not playing in my mind. I am not walking in thankfulness. I am just going through the motions, making plans, and thinking. But if I have not yet preached the gospel of God’s grace to my forgetful heart than actually I am not thinking! I am foolishly marching headlong into the fields of temptation on the trails of unbelief.
The rooster reminded me of Peter and so then he (they are males, right?) reminded me of myself. This then graciously drove me to Christ. And here, in the bosom of Jesus, where I hear his heartbeat, I remember the gospel. So I am good, for now.