Peter…such a life of ups and downs, highs and lows, moments of such nobility and others of abject disgrace.

So impulsive!

Slow to understand, yet the first one to give voice to the dawning recognition of who Jesus was:

[16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16 (NIV)

Then he messes it all up by failing to recognise why Jesus the Messiah had come:

[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Matthew 16:23 (NIV)

Then to top it all, the promise of unflinching loyalty, even to death, which vanished like the morning mist as the cockerel crowed.

Peter…such a big mouth…and such a huge heart!

My favourite bit of his story comes in John’s Gospel.

[7] Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

John 21:7 (NIV)

You might have thought that he flung himself into the water in a bid to get away from Jesus, even  to take his life in shame for what he had done. But no, despite everything, more than anything Peter wanted to be with Jesus. Whether he realised it or not, he had experienced a love that was completely unconditional and he wanted more. And we all know what happened next…

Why wouldn’t you love Jesus?