June 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:32).

Devotional

Our Lord goes before his flock as its Shepherd. He precedes it every step, not only to map its path but also to provide for all the circumstances of its history, even the most trivial and minute.

Nothing can be unforeseen to him. Nothing can be concealed from him. No event can surprise him. No contingency can thwart him. No difficulty can embarrass him. The entire history of the individual saint of God, from his earliest to his latest breath, is written—before it even exists—in his book as minutely and as accurately as though it were a record of the past.

In anticipation of each developing circumstance—of each temptation, trial, difficulty, and need—Jesus prays for his people, "I have prayed for you." It would seem as if the sorrow reaches his heart before it touches our own. It would seem as if the assault falls upon him before it falls upon us. It would seem that, knowing what will transpire, seeing in what critical and painful circumstances his child will be placed, he anticipates his case by interceding especially on his behalf: "I have prayed for you."

Can the mind of the tried believer rest upon a truth that is more sustaining than this, more soothing than this? It would be a glorious unfolding of the love of Jesus to know that when the sifting came and faith was actually tried, that Jesus then prayed for the sufferer. But to be assured that before a dart is thrown, before a shock is felt, or before even a suspicion is awakened that the tempter is approaching and danger is near, Jesus, robed in his priestly garments and bearing the golden censer in his hand, is already within the veil interceding especially for that trial of faith—oh, it is a view of his love, which to the mind of the tempted believer would seem to outshine all others!

And for what does Jesus pray? That the temptation might not come? That faith may not be tried? Oh no! He does not ask the Father in behalf of his people for their entire exemption from temptation and trial. He knows full well that to be conformed to him, their Head, "through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).

Even though he himself was pure and sinless, needing no sifting and no refining, still he passed through each process as if there were in him chaff to scatter and dross to consume. How much more necessary does Jesus see that his people—in whom there is such a blend of the precious with the vile, so much indwelling sin, so much powerful corruption perpetually seeking to destroy indwelling grace—should not be exempted from the process which, painful though it is, is absolutely necessary and eternally good! But Jesus does pray that when faith is actually tried, it might not fail.

Now why is it, O believing soul, that your tried faith has not failed? How can it be that you have passed through the sifting without a single precious grain falling to the ground? Because your great High Priest prayed for you before the trial! He prayed for you in the trial! And he has never ceased to pray for you since the trial! All upholding grace, all restraining grace, all restoring grace, all establishing grace—all grace has been meted out to you through the channel of your Lord's unending and ever-prevailing intercession.

Oh, how this truth should endear your faithful Savior to your heart! Oh, with what holy contrition should it fill your spirit! Oh, with what sweet affection should it constrain your soul to a simple and an unreserved surrender to God!

I know that my Redeemer lives,
and ever prays for me;
a token of his love he gives,
a pledge of liberty.

I find him lifting up my head;
he brings salvation near;
his presence makes me free indeed
and he will soon appear.

He wills that I should holy be:
who can withstand his will?
The counsel of his grace in me
he surely shall fulfill.

Jesus, I hang upon your Word:
I steadfastly believe
you will return and claim me, Lord,
and to yourself receive.

(Charles Wesley, 1742)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.