Presumptuous Declarations

Luke 22:31-32

New King James Version

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

For Meditation

Many the time, we consider ourselves so powerful and spiritual that we cannot be like that person who has fallen. What a moment to repent!

For all of us live by grace—divine favor, simple. If the Lord removes His hand from us, we would be like everyone in the streets—blind, lame, leprous, cantankerous, adulterous, and all the superlatives of wickedness there are (Romans 1:28-31; 3:10-18; Galatians 5:19-21). That is why Calvary stands so tall and the empty grave, so adoring. Where would we be without grace?

There I was, sitting at the table, seething with anger and hatred against Judas Iscariot, wanting to wrench his neck off his pathetic body for daring to betray our Lord. Little did I know the cosmic manipulations that had gathered to crush us all. And I was boasting too when the Lord told us we could not follow Him until later.

 “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake” (John 13:37). “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble” (Matthew 26:33)

His eyes still piercing my soul, my Lord said with His ever-tender voice set in compassion:

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32).

With all of that gracious revelation, I was still bragging.

“Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death” (33).

I think the Lord was a little ticked off by my boasting. So matter-of-factly, he said to me, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me” (34).

Yet, I insisted that even if I had to die, I would die with Him. By my presumptuous declaration, I led the others to say the same thing (Mark 14:31). But Gethsemane revealed our folly, and the worst was soon to come to me.

Solomon was right. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). And what a heavy fall it is, but for grace to pick us up.

Dear sojourner to glory. Do not go there. Do not be like me in my ignorance. There is nothing in you but the sovereign power of the Almighty God to sustain you in Christ and by His power.

Worship Him today!