I have been meditating on a few lines I heard in my devotional about Peter and the devil. Jesus says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift 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.”  

Sifting like wheat means to be severely shaken and taken apart. Satan demands to sift the disciples and especially Peter as the lead disciple. Peter denies Jesus three times, but he is able to turn back to faith. Jesus prays for him not to lose his faith.  

What a gift the prayer of Jesus is during difficulty. I would like to talk with Dad about this, the gift of prayer to turn back and (which I think of) as repentance.  

It is a new thought to me that though Peter denied Jesus three times he was not chaff. Sometimes I want to label someone “chaff” because they have not followed Christ like I think they should have. I can see this in myself. Because I didn’t do what I should have I must not be valuable to God. 

What a powerful thought that Jesus is praying for us to not lose our faith. The sin doesn’t make us chaff, the loss of hope and faith does.  

I think about Jesus praying for me. I think of God in the lives of my beloved others praying for me. This gives me such joy to know that, yes, siftings will happen, but it is the return that matters. 

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 11:31-32

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