Sifted in the Sieve

Satan, who accuses God’s elect night and day, pretends to be righteous. He wants to prove that we do not have access to God’s kingdom according to God’s laws; that we are neither righteous nor humble, etc.

He sifts us in his sieve. If we are too big in our own eyes we will not fall through the holes in the sieve but will stay behind. We will remain outside God’s kingdom. In this way he demonstrates that we belong to him.

It is impossible for a rich, self-important person to enter God’s kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is for the poor in spirit, and unless we become like children, we will by no means enter it.

It is of the utmost importance to become little in our own eyes so that we can go through the strait gate, through the eye of the needle, through the sieve and onward on the narrow way.

Starting with verse 24, the connection in which this is written is very striking and noteworthy.

Oh, how many people have stayed behind in this sieve! They continued to be far too great, strong, mighty, rich, smart, stiff, and unyielding. They stopped believing that it would succeed; their faith failed.

How inexpressibly comforting verse 32 is! Christ Himself knows how difficult it is! He Himself was tried in the days of His flesh! Notice in Matthew, Chapter 4, that the three final temptations that are mentioned concern honor, power, greatness, and riches!!!

What a glorious truth this is: Jesus lives and intercedes for us without ceasing. He also did that in the days of His flesh, but then He could grow tired. Now He does not grow tired, for there is no more night or day for Him. He prays, and His prayers are answered.

“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail . . . .”

The natural man is very much inclined to greatness in this world. Everyone wants to be important, at home and abroad. No one wants to be insignificant. Quite often it seems as if it will never succeed, so the temptations to give up are innumerable. How good it is then to know that Jesus is praying for us that our faith in succeeding to be like a child may not fail.

When this faith does not fail, that which was so unspeakably difficult, succeeds. We go through the sieve, entering into rest in God in all of life’s differing circumstances. Then the everlasting Sabbath rest has already begun in our inner man.

I remember that my mother used to have a large key in the sieve when she was sifting; then it was shaken vigorously. When Satan sifts souls in the sieve, they receive a fair number of bumps and knocks, all according to how great they are and according to how sluggish and slack they are. The more time they take to humble themselves, to become like a child, the more bumps and knocks they receive. How significant that is!

All these annoyances and all this wretchedness cease when you have passed through the sieve! What rest and blessedness there is in God’s kingdom! Then this Word is fitting: “Great peace have those who love Your law [for example about humbling yourself], and nothing causes them to stumble.” Ps. 119:165. However, not much time passes between bumps in the sieve! It is not easy to be a mere human being. Poor people! Alas, how the poor natural man has to pay for all his self-importance!

We know where people are when they have bumped against one thing or another. The greater they are, the more easily and more often they bump against things. This also agrees with the fact that storms are most violent in the heights. How good and how prudent it is to stay in the lowly places, to be small.

Then all kinds of sins fall away! There is no room for them; neither is there any need for them! Glory to God!