areliablefaith

Luke 22 & John 13

As I read the accounts of Jesus’ last supper and His final hours on earth, my emotions are stirred. I try to picture what was going on in Jesus’ mind. He was fully God, but He was also fully human, and He knew what was coming. He knew how painful it would be. And yet He was completely surrendered to the Father’s will. The human part of Him still cried out:

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

What a high bar He sets for us. And yet that is exactly what He calls us to: 100% surrender.

After many years of following Him, here is what I believe. He takes our intention to be fully surrendered, and then, through the lifelong process of sanctification, He gradually reveals more and more areas of our lives that still need to be brought to that place. The love of comfort. Pride. Seeking the praise of men. Earthly security instead of trust in Him. Learning to truly surrender means coming face to face with our natural human inclinations and laying each one down before Him.

There is so much in today’s reading I’d love to dive into, but one moment stands out to me, partly because of a constant prayer on my heart for a husband and wife who are walking through the valley of the shadow of death right now.

Jesus turns to Peter and says:

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31–32)

Notice who is really in charge here. Satan has to ask. He is no equal to Jesus; he operates only within the limits God allows. And notice something easy to miss in English. In the original Greek, when Jesus says Satan demanded to have “you,” the word is plural: all of the disciples. But when He says “I have prayed for you,” it’s singular: Peter. In the middle of the storm about to hit all of them, Jesus had prayed for Peter by name. And He already knew how it would end: Peter would fail, but he would turn again, and his failure would become the very thing that strengthened his brothers.

Peter’s denial was crushing to him. But it was also essential. It broke the bold, “I can do anything” pride of a strong, driven, type-A personality, the belief that he could will himself into being the perfect follower of Jesus. Peter had to learn that in his own strength he would fall short. Only then could he discover the truth Paul would later write:

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

That’s why Jesus spends so much of that final night talking about the Holy Spirit. There are things in our lives we simply cannot accomplish on our own. We may think we can, but we can’t. The Spirit fills in the gaps of what we lack: the strength, the wisdom, the words, the stamina to endure and press on, if we surrender and let Him lead, teach, and guide us.

Which brings me back to my friends in the valley.

When my friend told me about his wife’s condition, my heart immediately hurt. I knew this journey would be very, very difficult. Weeks in the hospital, the pain, the medications, the exhaustion. But I also felt a glimmer of hope, because I’ve watched God move powerfully in my friend’s life these last few years as he has surrendered to Christ. He walked through his own season of a potential cancer diagnosis and saw God move miraculously. God is growing him at a rapid rate.

We are believing for his wife’s healing. And I know that Jesus is with them, carrying them through.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

That is what God does. He walks us through the valleys, knowing that what He produces in us there can only be produced as we walk with Him: trusting Him, side by side, letting Him pick us up and carry us when we can walk no more. And He is working all of it for good, for my friend, for his wife, for his family, and for everyone who loves them and is watching.

The ultimate destination is an eternity with Him. Glorious, glorious is His calling for us.

We still have a walk through the valley with Jesus in the coming days as we follow the final night of His life on earth, and we will see God move in many more ways. The same is true for each of us. You’ll have more days ahead, some in the valley, some in the gray and gloom, but He is bringing us into the sunshine of His marvelous light when all is said and done.

What area of your life is God inviting you to surrender right now, and where might your own “sifting” be preparing you to strengthen someone else?

Be blessed and be a blessing, my friends.