Luke 22:31-35: a reflection

31The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat, 32but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.” 33He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!” 34He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will by no means crow today until you deny that you know me three times.” 35He said to them, “When I sent you out without purse, bag, and sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”

On the night before his death, Jesus turns to Peter with a solemn word: Simon, Simon, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. Jesus knows Peter is about to fail him, to deny him three times; and yet, before the fall, he tells Peter that he has prayed for him, that his faith would not finally give way, and that after his turning he would strengthen others.

Notice what Jesus does for Peter before his fall: he prays for him. Knowing Peter would deny him, Jesus does not abandon him to the sifting, but prays that his faith would not fail, that even in the fall his faith would not be finally destroyed. And he looks past the fall to Peter's restoration and usefulness: when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. Jesus' intercession held Peter, so that his failure, real as it was, was not the end; he would turn back, and be used again.

That is a deep comfort, for Christ prays for us in the same way. We face our own siftings, our own testings and failures; and Satan would use them to destroy our faith. But Christ intercedes for us, praying that our faith would not finally fail, holding us even when we fall. And he looks past our failures to our restoration and usefulness, as he did with Peter. When you are tested, and even when you fail, do not think yourself beyond Christ's help; he prays for you, as he prayed for Peter, that your faith may not fail. And your failure, real as it is, need not be the end; Christ, who foresaw Peter's restoration, can turn you back and use you again. Rest in the intercession of Christ, who prays for you in your sifting, and looks past your falls to the day you turn back and strengthen others.

Lord Jesus, on the night before your death you told Peter that Satan had demanded to sift him, but that you had prayed for him that his faith would not fail, and that when he had turned back he would strengthen his brothers; before his fall, you prayed for him. Give me the deep comfort of knowing you pray for me in the same way. I face my own siftings, my own testings and failures; and Satan would use them to destroy my faith. But you intercede for me, praying that my faith would not finally fail, holding me even when I fall. And you look past my failures to my restoration and usefulness, as you did with Peter. When I am tested, and even when I fail, keep me from thinking myself beyond your help; you pray for me, as you prayed for Peter, that my faith may not fail. And my failure, real as it is, need not be the end; you, who foresaw Peter's restoration, can turn me back and use me again. Let me rest in your intercession, praying for me in my sifting, and looking past my falls to the day I turn back and strengthen others. Pray for me, Lord, that my faith may not fail; and turn me back when I fall.