We All Get Sifted

Luke 22:31-32
And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.

Seth Barber used this verse in his message Saturday night at Vineyard Recovery Church.
Kind of stuck with me.
I've always had a lot of sympathy for Peter. This verse from Luke is a promise from Jesus, and I'd never really took it to heart. 
We seem to be be drawn to failure.
Especially when it is the failure of others.
We sympathize with them, because we see ourselves in their mistakes. We see our own potential in their failures. And to be honest, we secretly are glad that it wasn't us.

From Jesus' perspective, we see that He  saw what was going to happen to not only Peter but to all His disciples. As the cross grew closer and nearer to Him, He knew that His followers would scatter. While this would have disheartened some, it didn't Christ. He knew that in order for the Kingdom of God to built, these men, who'd left everything to follow Him, would have to have their hearts uncovered. Such is a painful process. Before the gospel could be taken to the world, the world had to first be removed from the messengers. 

Did you catch what Jesus said?
"But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail."
He didn't pray, "Father, don't let them fall!"
He didn't implore His Father to deliver them.
He prayed that the faith given to each disciple would not fail. You see, faith is what takes us through those dark times. Faith is what we cling to even when we don't realize that is what we are doing. Don't you think that each of the disciples thought they had blown it when they scattered at the arrest of Jesus? Don't you think each one of those men were in some way preparing to return to their old life. Here they'd been given the opportunity of a life time. They'd walked all over the country following Jesus. They'd seen miracle after miracle and knew what He was capable of doing. They had even been called out by Him and empowered to heal others and to cast out demons. Yet now at this dark hour, they scattered to the wind, fearing for their life.  God had to uncover their hearts and let them see what was inside....who they really were, before He could fill them with His Holy Spirit and send them out into a world that was going to hate them. They, the disciples, had to know what they were capable of doing when they were outside the will of God, following their own dark hearts.

To me, anytime we reap destruction from the seeds that we've sown, it is God showing us exactly what is in our hearts. 
The hatred we have for others.
The mistrust that keeps others at arms length, as we are afraid of letting anyone get close to us.
The manipulation that rises up and leads us to use people for our own selfish desire and gain.
And the list goes on and on....
God knows such things make up our sinful hearts.
But at the same time, God knows that the only real healing we can find is when those same hearts are uncovered. For it is from this place that real healing can happen.
When we see ourselves as we truly are.....
When we see the deeds we have done and the sin we have committed for what it truly is....
Then we are are ready to accept Jesus into our lives.
When the healing does come, such gratitude fills the heart.
Gratitude that Jesus is really who He says He is.
Gratitude that Jesus will do what He claimed He would do.
Gratitude for another opportunity to have real life.

Last night at Celebrate Recovery North Glencoe, I watched such an even take place.
People streaming to the front, getting on their knees to meet this Jesus.
People who, like Peter and the other disciples, at the darkest point of their lives denied Jesus. 
Now, here they were crying out to Him to be healed.
Out of great darkness...great light will arise with healing in His wings.
And the name of God shall be glorified to all nations and peoples.
And the power of sin shall be broken....A
And the death sentence of addiction will be done away with.
No longer will people bow to the needle, the pill, the joint or the bottle.....
No longer will people worship at the dark altar of Satan...
They shall be the possessor's of the Holy Spirit of the Almighty God.
Yes! And Amen!

God on you....
mb