When Jesus Prays for Me

I am blessed with praying friends and family. I don’t think I would have survived the struggles and trials of my life – especially the past fifteen months – without them. I have had friends pray over me at my job, over the phone, in a store, at church, in Sunday School, in the car, over coffee and tears, and by text. A praying friend is one of God’s sweetest gifts. But my friends are not the only ones praying for me. My Jesus is too.
At their last supper, on the day of Unleavened Bread, Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him. As they questioned themselves, a dispute arose as to which one of them could be considered the greatest of His disciples. The text doesn’t say that Peter put himself on that pedestal, but Jesus’ words hint at it. The Lord told him, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). The “you” in this verse in plural – meaning satan wanted to sift the whole lot of them.
But Jesus singled out Simon for the sifting process. Why? Because there were unspiritual things in Simon Peter that needed to go – like pride – before Pete could be the witness Jesus intended for him to be. God will not allow pride to fester in His servants.
Look at the next verse, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (v. 32). Jesus gave satan permission to press Peter, but for His own purposes, and He covered Him with prayer through it all. Jesus knew exactly what Peter would face and He knew it would break His friend. But He also knew that He could restore Peter and shape him into a mighty man of God – without that crippling pride.
I take great comfort in this. First that everything – good, hard, and heartbreaking – comes to me through His sovereign hands. If He allows it, it must be for a bigger purpose than I can see in the moment. And all His purposes are good and right. And then I take to heart that my Jesus is praying for me. He is praying that my faith – “which is of great worthy than gold” will not fail (1 Pet 1:7).
I am in the hardest season of my life – maybe you are too. Beloved, you and I can rest in the hands of God and the prayers of Jesus. Because the Father always hears the prayers of His Son.