The Sound Of A Rooster

I always had the idyllic picture in my mind of a rooster sitting on a fence post and crowing.
As soon as the sun is visible on the horizon, the rooster begins his song.
Many books and movies depict the rooster as the farmer’s alarm clock.
Not so with our neighborhood rooster.

The historic estate, whose beautiful acreage our neighborhood is built on, has a rooster.
Unlike the bucolic picture of the rooster crowing as the sun comes over the horizon, this rooster crows all day long.

Roosters are polygamous but can only guard one general area of nests at a time.
He will guard his territory and will attack any other rooster that enters it.
He sits three to five feet off the ground and acts as a lookout for those he is protecting.
The rooster will sound his alarm if predators are near.

Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown You.” And all the other disciples said the same. (Matthew 26: 31-35)

Isn’t it just like God to use a rooster?

Can you picture it?
The rooster perched three to five feet above the ground, acting as a lookout.
Except this time the predator wasn’t in the barnyard.
The predator was the enemy of our souls.

Peter did indeed deny His Lord.
I don’t know the Man.
Jesus looked across the courtyard right into the eyes of Peter as the rooster crowed.
Sorrow and remorse gripped Peter’s heart and he wept bitterly.

What if the rooster crowed every time we denied Him?
What if we heard the incessant crowing every time we made little of Him in order to fit in?
What if we heard the constant crowing every time we thought we knew better than He did?
What if we heard the rooster each time we sinned and turned our back on Him?
What if?

Hearing the rooster crowing during my morning walk reminded me of Peter’s denial.
Hearing the rooster crow throughout the day convicts me.
Hearing the rooster crow before the sun goes down, causes me to confess.
Perched three to five feet off the ground, not anywhere near me, yet a lookout all the same.

Then seizing Him, they led Him away and took Him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with Him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know Him,” he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him. “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:54-62)

The rooster sounded the alarm: denial.
But Jesus’ look was a look of compassion.
Jesus knows how hard it is to live here in this fallen world.
Peter boasted about never leaving Jesus; about never denying Him.

Peter didn’t leave Jesus, but he was scared as he sat in the courtyard.
What was happening to Jesus could happen to him as well.
Peter didn’t leave Jesus, but he did deny Him.

So do we!
Everyday with our words and our actions.
We deny Him when we try to cover up the fact that we belong to Him.
We deny Him when it is more important to go along rather than stand alone.

Do you hear the rooster crowing?
Jesus looks straight at you, with compassion.
You weep over your sin. You confess. You repent.

Jesus restores you to Himself.
He is the only One who can.
Begin again.
His mercies are new every morning.

Do you hear it?
The rooster has stopped crowing.

 

2 responses to “The Sound Of A Rooster”

1. Grace is SO amazing. His love is SO amazing.

   Reply

   • It is, friend!
     Amen!

     Reply