Friday, June 12, 2009

The Sifting of Peter and Roxanna

Generally in the prairies we are the recipients of four seasons -spring, summer, fall and winter. However, so far, it seems that this is the summer that will never be! Apparently the weekend is supposed to be fantastic, but I have no intentions of holding my breath for that!

There is another season to be explored.

It is called "sifting."

In the chapter of Luke, Jesus tells Peter that Satan has asked to have access to him and will be "sifted as wheat."

I have heard or seen brief studies on this subject and from my understanding, this season will take you to the brink of all you believe and hold dear. You will at that point decide to throw in the towel that has always mopped up, cleaned and polished your faith to keep it shiny and new from day to day.

I have no doubt that I have been and still am in this fifth season. I don't entirely understand why, not to mention, Peter's experience is a bit of a mystery. Did just Peter experience this, or did some of the other disciples have to go through this too? What made Peter's story so important and compelling that Luke recorded it? Will every one of us have to endure this fifth season, or just some of us? And what, exactly, would the criteria be for one to enter into this? Is it a season you go through once, or multiple times?

I have full intentions of studying this further because if I am in this, I want to know why, and I want to make sure that this season was worth going through.