But I have prayed for you

Luke 22:31-34: “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’ 33 But he said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ 34 Then He said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.’”

Jesus was preparing for His next couple of hours before He would be beaten and hung on a cross. He made time to celebrate the feast of the Passover with His closest friends. He wanted them to remember the love that God had for His people Israel and the love that God was about to show the entire world. He wanted to prepare his followers for the next couple of days, but they did not understand it. He talked about the one about to betray Him, and the disciples started arguing who was going to be the greatest in the kingdom. Even through their ignorance Jesus had compassion for these men. Jesus also knew what the next couple of days were going to be like for the disciples and how hard it would be. He knew that Peter was going to make a huge error by denying Jesus. Yet, it was not the act that concerned Jesus, but rather it was His friend Peter’s emotional state.

Jesus said that Satan had asked for Peter, that he may sift him as wheat. Satan had one plan for Peter, that he could destroy Peter’s life. Satan wanted to use this trial in the life of the disciples to destroy Peter; but Jesus said something so comforting here to Peter. He said, "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." He knew that Peter was going to mess up. However, Jesus was concerned with Peter’s emotional wellbeing; he was concerned for the person more then He was for the act.

The double-edged problem with sin is that it is so damaging. Not only does it mess up our relationship with God, because we are disobeying what He told us to do or not to do, but it also leaves us with scars and consequences. Peter denied the Christ before men, which is sin; however, after he realized what he was doing, he was torn up inside from guilt. Sin not only hurts our relationship with God, it also makes us have feelings we should not experience. Yet even through all of that, Jesus still prayed. He knew that Peter could become whole. Do you know that Jesus is praying for you today? He cares so much about you that He does not want to see you go through that pain. Peter did have a choice not to sin, and so do we. We can avoid all those feelings of failure, doubt, and heartbreak. Even though Peter sinned Jesus Had compassion on him and wanted him restored as a man. Jesus’ ministry was a ministry of reconciliation and not of condemnation. Do you need to be reconciled back to God today?

Tomorrows Readings:
Old Testament: 1 Kings 1-2 New Testament Luke 22:54-71