April 1: SIFTED
And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Luke 22:31
A practical lesson about wheat: Each grain of wheat is covered by a sheath of chaff. You definitely don’t want to eat that part. Though it is high in fiber, it can get stuck in teeth and is very hard to swallow. Good wheat is shaken, beaten, and sifted. One way to accomplish the separation of grain and chaff – sifting – is to throw a shovel full straight up on a windy day. In the absence of a breeze, a winnowing fan (Jeremiah 15:7; Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17) was often used. The chaff is then easily blown aside because it has no weighty substance. The Lord wants to sift the “bad” out of us to preserve us in His church. The devil wants to sift the “good” out of our character and out of the church. History is replete with Satan’s attempts – successful and unsuccessful – to tempt and ensnare us.
Jesus continued: “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:32)
Just as He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself, the Lord knows “where” each of us is in relation to the standard He has provided. There is no doubting the sincerity of Peter’s response: “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death” (v.33). But he was not ready!
The purification process that believers are subjected to is to remove all traces of hypocrisy. We have all been there, claiming to follow Christ yet lightly esteeming or ignoring parts of what He says. While it is true that God loves hypocrites, He does not love hypocrisy. Have you ever asked Him to show you thought patterns and behaviors you hold dear that are out of harmony with the sacred Word that you profess to live by? These things not only harm your relationship with Him, but things that make you pause . . . and deem “harmless” can and often do lead others to their deathbeds. Shortly before the Passover during which our Lord was crucified, He said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (21:33).
The tribulation just ahead will remove the chaff from the church, one way or another. In Peter’s ordeal, Satan was hoping to destroy Peter’s faith. After Peter’s third denial of Christ (22:60), he finally understood his own despicable weakness, leading him to his “Woe is me!” (like Isaiah) time of repentance (v.62). Just because you may be going through a trial, don’t assume that the Lord is trying to shake you out. Of course, He works to purify you; but the devil may be trying to shake you out of the church. Remember that Jesus has prayed for you! He allows every test of your faith; and each test has the potential to strengthen that faith. Do you know that your faith in God is a precious treasure to Him? Never believe the devil’s lie that you are insignificant. One day soon, the Lord wants to joyfully gather you into His barn (Matthew 13:30).
“For surely I will command, And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.” Amos 9:9