Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat

.... But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers (Luke 22:31, 32). Many of us can identify with Simon Peter (John 1:42), I can, impulsive, overconfident, trusting in his own abilities. Satan had already “sifted” Judas, meaning that he had entered into him to betray Jesus (John 13:2). And now he waned to do the same with the rest of the twelve, and with Peter in particular. Peter replies that he's willing to die for Jesus, but Jesus tells him he would deny Him three times before the cock crows (verses 33, 34). And it struck me again, that it's one thing to be willing to die a physical martyr's death, but quite another to take up our cross daily, dying daily to self, and then to daily follow Him.

I am talking about the difference between a momentary radical obedience and a life long radical obedience and submission to His will. You have to wonder if it was the thought of a glorious revolution that was stirring Peter's imagination when he declared his dying allegiance to the Lord. And if so, it must have seemed so futile that Jesus would so humbly submit to the shame of a criminal's death. I mean Peter surly knew well, that the authorities meant to put Him to death. In any case Peter had utterly failed, and when he realized what he had done, he wept bitterly (Luke 22:62). Many of us are willing to serve Jesus as long as we can do it out way, but true discipleship is about serving Him His way, no matter what the cost. Satan desires to sift us that he might destroy us, but Jesus allows this so that He might refine us often through our failures. And “in many things we all fail,” many things, all of us (James 3:2).

Our failures do not take Jesus by surprise, He knows our frame, He knows we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). He also prays for us, so that when we have failed our faith will not fail (verse 32, Hebrews 7:25). Indeed the Lord wants to use these failures as an aid to bring us to the death of the self life (Romans 8:13). And when stop fighting Him and cooperate with Him we will, I believe, be able to declare with Paul that we receive these sentences of death...... in order that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:9). It is, I also believe, not in spite of these things that we are straighten, but precisely because of them. And then when we too return we will also have the wherewithal to strengthen the brethren (and the sistren :) ).

Father, there are times we feel a bit like Job concerning the fiery trials which are to test us. But as with Job Lord, it is the trials that move us from hearing about You with the ear, to the intimacy of a deep and satisfying personal fellowship with You (Job 42:5). It is a journey Lord, and I want to thank You again this morning that You who has begun a good work in us will keep right on doing it until the day we see You face to face. Help us Lord in our walk to hasten the day in Jesus Name Amen