Foster Chicken

Foster and Rose



"Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times"

 (Mark 14:29).

One day a stray Barred Rock rooster suddenly showed up in our yard among our Rhode Island Reds. At first our chickens didn't want anything to do with the intruder.  They totally rejected him!  Eventually, however, they did warm up and let him in the flock.

I like having the rooster in our yard.  When I hear him crowing it reminds me of the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf even though we don't deserve it.  On the night He was handed over to His enemies, our Lord told the apostle Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed twice.  It happened as He said.

"Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow" (John 18:27).

At that moment, Peter remembered Jesus' words and wept bitterly.  How many times have each of us denied Christ?  Any time we fail to acknowledge Him or tell others of His great love, or directly disobey His will, we deny Him too.  Praise God, however, for He readily forgives our shortcomings and gives us many more opportunities to love and serve Him. 



Peter denied Jesus three times that night, and after His resurrection, Jesus gave him three opportunities to express his love for Him.  Three times He asked Peter, "Do you love me?" and each time Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." 

The rooster has become a symbol in the Christian church representing denial, remorse, repentance and forgiveness.  The rooster's habit of crowing at dawn each morning is a symbol of Christ's victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and life over death.