He was fairly upbeat at the close of the first day of the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton. With the home team on 282 for 6 at stumps, he observed that if England could knock over the remaining wickets the next morning, they would have a 'stranglehold'—that was the word—on the match.

Commenting on sporting events is a notoriously risky business, witness last week-end's FA Cup surprises. And when the sport is cricket, played out over five days, with variations in weather conditions an important factor, and with no less than forty opportunities wickets to be captured, the outcome is far from predictable.

Those who recall England's amazing comeback in the Test series against Australia in 1981 should know better than the pontificate.
Sure enough, Peter Moores was proved to have spoken too soon. New Zealand, instead of tamely rolling over, posted a first innings total of 470 in first innings. Two days later, their first innings completed, England were over 100 in arrears. Though a Sidebottom hat-trick enlivened things, and gave England hope, they fell lamentably short of the last day target. Some 'stranglehold.'

At this season of the year, we think of another Peter who spoke too soon. Peter the apostle was a man whose tongue was sometimes in action before his brain was in gear. Yes, he rightly declared that Jesus had the words of eternal life (John ch 6;68), and that he was the promised Messiah ( Mark 8;29 ) . But at other times, and most notably in the last week of Jesus life, he spoke too soon. Jesus, quoting Scripture, asserted that his disciples would forsake him in the hour of testing; but Peter not only boasted that he would remain faithful, but insisted on that viewpoint, even when his Master uttered a grim warning about denial( Mark 14:30) How Jesus' prediction came true, and how Peter proved false, are known to all.

Peter's problem was that he was relying on himself, and boasting of his own power. The lesson of spiritual experience is that God works, not through those who rely on their own wit and wisdom; but on those who rely on God's power. Paul, accepting his "thorn in the flesh", saw God's wisdom in it. "When I am weak, then I am strong", he concluded (2 Corinthians 12:

The master missionary Hudson Taylor once said: "God chose me because I was weak enough. He trains somebody to be quiet enough, and little enough, and then uses him." As H.H. Farmer of Cambridge put it: "The temple of faith is only well built on the very edge of the pit of self-despair."
Take heed, Peters all!