“Pray Against The Peter Mindset II!”

“Pray Against The Peter Mindset II!”(Lk.22:31-34).
“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 is not strange to fufu corn eaters who grew up in their villages. After sifting the good flour is kept aside to be used in making the fufu corn meal, but the chaff is not completely thrown away. The chaff which Mungaka speakers call “kadzeli” is put in water and sifted again. During the first sifting when the flour was separated, what remained in the sieve as kadzeli is not completely considered as waste. During this second sifting with water what remains in the sieve is the good one which is put in the pot of water to boil appropriately before corn flour is poured in and stirred.
The other day I was admiring some bricklayers as they sifted sand to use the smooth one for plastering. But the bad one that was considered useless for plastering was mixed with gravel for concreting. In a nutshell, the waste that is sifted become useful when used differently.
Satan is always present in the heavenly counsel, asking to sift us with the hope of bringing us to spiritual ruin. But he always meet a dead-end because Jesus is there praying that our faith may not fail. Christ’s intercession for us is not for us alone. When each one of us is strengthened, s/he should turn back and strengthen the others.
Simon was not the only one whose faith was failing. That is why Jesus’ prayer for him was that when his faith is revived, and when he turned back he should strengthen the others.
This is the more reason why we should be one another’s keeper, showing love to everyone. Imagine that your destiny keeper – Simon – who has to strengthen you is your enemy!
When the Lord Jesus Christ prays for any of us it is not because our works are beyond reproach. Far from it, praying for us is a demonstration of mercy and grace.
When Jesus said he had prayed for Simon, Simon replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
My friend, it is enough to rejoice to know that when Satan is sifting us, the Lord is there praying for us that our faith may not fail. He is not praying for us as a compensation for our readiness to die with him! The more reason why we should pray against this Peter mindset. The Lord Jesus Christ is there for us, knowing fully well that we cannot die for him. But at least we can be the sifted sand that though useless for plastering is still useful for flooring.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ thank you for interceding for us when Satan is granted the permission to sift us. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.