Revealing True Identity

When you're a little girl from a big family it is very important that you establish your identify early on. My oldest brother secured the title as "the smart one" my next brother, though he too was very smart, chose to be known as the "athletic one." I worked hard at being good, very good, and I must have been successful because my nickname was "Saint Sarah."

Peter had a clear understanding in his own mind of his identity. He was so sure of himself that when Jesus told Peter that Satan had demanded to have him and sift him like wheat Peter responded by saying,"Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." (Luke 22 31-34)  I feel quite certain he meant what he said!

Psalm 15 asks the question, "O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?" Then it goes on to tell that the one gets to sojourn with the Lord is, "He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart." I think Peter and I share this in common that we would be the ones reading this Psalm and thinking, "That's me, my walk is blameless. I'd be willing to do anything God asked me to do." But seeing the truth in your heart only comes after you have been shifted like wheat.

Peter knew the truth in his heart when after Jesus had been arrested, spit at, slapped and beaten He turned to looked at Peter who was warming himself by the fire and denying that he had anything to do with "this man". Peter went out and wept bitterly when he saw who he really was. But Jesus had known Peter's heart all a long. Peter was a man in need of a Savior and a Redeemer. When Jesus had told Peter that he would be sifted like wheat Jesus had told him something else too. "I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Lord Jesus, not only have I been able to see who I really am in seasons of testing, I have also been able to see who You are. When I have found myself weeping because of the truth of what was really in my heart I have heard Your voice inviting me to put my faith in You as my Redeemer and sojourn with You.