Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. Jesus tells Peter that he's been asked for—requested by Satan himself. Satan wants access to him.
Then Jesus says: I've prayed for you. Your faith won't fail. That's curious because Peter's faith does fail. He denies Jesus three times. So is Jesus wrong? Or does 'faith won't fail' mean something different—that the fundamental orientation toward Jesus, even after denial, can be restored? I think Jesus is saying: you'll be tested severely. Satan wants to destroy you. But my prayer is that your faith—your actual loyalty to me—will survive the test. And it does. Peter denies Jesus. But Peter returns to Jesus. The faith, ultimately, holds.
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