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PETER'S DARKEST NIGHT
by John E. DeCock

How could I ever have denied,
my Lord, my Savior, friend
the day He suffered and He died?
I can not understand.

Once I confessed  to Him my faith:
"The Christ, God's Son are you."
I knew that He saves by his grace;
God's promises came true.

I said: "My Lord I stay with you,
no, I will never leave
whatever other men may do,
Lord I bear any grief."

But that dark night, they captured Him
and scorned Him in their hate,
I stood there in the light so dim
close by the fire they'd made.

"Are you not one of them?" they tried:
"You are from Galilee!
't Was you who drew his sword to fight
There in Gethsemane."

 Three times I said, three times I lied:
"That man I know Him not!"
It is my Lord whom I denied
the only Son of God.

The rooster crowed that early morn',
He turned and looked my way.
My words had caused Him deeper scorn
than all they did and say.

Yes, after all He's done and taught,
His love in every way,
I tell a girl "I know Him not."
My Lord did I betray.

I fled the scene into the night
in deep despair and shame ...
How could I ever make this right,
how could I clear my name?

No deeper pain I ever found;
the agony of soul ...
It felt like hell was all around.
I cried beyond control.

They mocked and tried Him and they lied,
with thorns they crowned His head.
't Was by the fire that I denied:
"I know Him not! " I said.

That day He gave his life, my Lord,
upon a cross He died.
"How can I ever be restored?"
 In agony I cried.

Peter means rock, that is my name
it means stability.
But I confess, and it's with shame,
it's weakness that I see.

I always thought, that I was strong:
"On me You can rely!"
But in that hour, it proved me wrong ...
't Is for His grace I cry.

That day, there was no hope for me,
went fishing once again;
the nets and boat upon the sea ...
our labor was in vain.

But in the early morning light
a fire of coal I see.
I hear His voice across the tide ...
He waited there for me.

I failed Him, but He didn't fail.
There on the shore He stood.
I came, aware of my betrayal,
as quickly as I could.

His words were chosen with great care,
He asked "Do you love me?"
I felt no condemnation there,
He spoke so tenderly.

I answered Him in truth that day:
"Yes Lord, You see within ..."
My shame I could not hide away
embarrassed for my sin.

That day He lovingly restored
and took my sins away.
Yes three times were His loving words,
three times I heard Him say:

"Protect my lambs and feed my sheep,
I put them in your care.
I'll go with you and I will keep;
protect you everywhere."

And now I shout for joy and peace,
let everybody hear:
"He is alive and He forgives
and takes away our fear."

The joy of Easter is in Him;
He lives restoring men.
He saves and make us free from sin,
COME TO HIM WHILE YOU CAN!