I am continually humbled and awed by the truth that Christ Himself actually intercedes at the right hand of God on behalf of all believers--that the Son of God actually prays for you and me. We're told this truth in Romans 8, and there are also some instances in the Gospels, most notably in John, when Jesus prays specifically for his disciples and for all future believers.
During the Last Supper, mere hours before his death, Jesus told his disciples of one of his prayers for them--more specifically, for Peter. As we know, Peter would deny Christ three times later that very night, and Jesus had predicted this denial, much to Peter's chagrin. But as the disciples and their Rabbi gathered together for one final meal, many of them uncertain of what was to come, Jesus told Peter (also called Simon) a beautiful thing: "I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail." (Luke 22:32).
I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.
I don't know about you, but that's a prayer that I want Jesus praying on my behalf every single day. I just find it so beautiful that Jesus knew that Peter, one of his closest disciples, would utterly deny Him that night, claiming with bitter oaths that he never even knew the man, and yet He still assured him that He had prayed for the survival of his faith. This passage is just a glimpse into the heart of a God who cares more for each of us than we could ever comprehend. In spite of the failures that He, in His omniscience, already knows we will face, He still prays for us--and they are powerful and effective prayers.
In Peter's case, his faith certainly didn't fail. Although He did deny Jesus that night as predicted, He became the rock on which Christ built the church (Matthew 16:18) and one of the most outspoken leaders of the early church, sharing the Gospel with thousands.
Your faith will one day be proved of greater worth than gold, and Christ is interceding before the throne of God for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment
What do you think?