The morning started off with the word shake in my head, this old Russ Taff song called Shake, and the “shaking of grain”, so I looked up that verse & as I wrote my thoughts, this is what else I got. Here it is the amp.:
Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has asked excessively that [all of] you be given up to him [out of the power and keeping of God], that he might sift [all of] you like grain, [Job 1:6-12; Amos 9:9.] But I have prayed especially for you [Peter], that your [own] faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren. (Luke 22:31-32)
Another transition actually says satan demands of God…What nerve. He’s only a rebellious angel yet he demands of God permission to separate his followers from Him. (That’s funny to me! “I DEMAND of you … uh, but I still need your permission…”).
*But* our High Priest Jesus, prays for us, that our faith will not fail, that (not if, but) when we repent, he will use us for his glory to strengthen and establish our brothers and sisters, the Church.
Isn’t that good news!! I used to read this and become scared, thinking, Oh no. I’m gonna be sifted. Shaken. It’s gonna hurt. It’s gonna reveal things. Expose things. No, thank you.
But I would overlook that the Son of the God of the universe who spoke the Spiral Galaxy into existence…
is interceding for my victory over temptation; my faith to be made stronger, stinger like the process of cement hardening. I say that because I looked up Peter, (Aramaic: Cephas) and read that it would be like naming someone “Concrete” today. Not crumbly, air-pocket lava stone, but solid immovable rock.
This to me, means believing rock-solid truth.
A constant evaluation and asking of myself, am I believing a lie about God? About myself? If so, my faith will fail at least in part. It will crumble under the pressure of Satan’s constant accusations or attacks. (Think of arrows being shot at a crumbly structure vs. a solid wall. What will ale it crumble is the gaps – those parts of me that I have not sought truth on or intentionally filled with truth). Funny, Russ Taff has another song called Rock Solid that now seems even more fitting:
No…n-n-n-no movin’ me!
But Christ has set me apart, as solid as concrete, but with a heart as moldable as clay.
So shake away.
My Foundation of truth has made me impenetrable. And what will flake off of me are worldly mindsets, false identity and selfish ambition…things Satan always tries to attach or attack with, but I want off of me anyway, so that like Peter, I can turn around and strengthen everyone in my path.
Chelan 