Hear Him

Week 1 Day 4

Matthew 17:1-8

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;  and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

This is a wonderful story. Peter is so passionate and so wants to contribute. He has a heart which I (and maybe you as well) can relate to. He wants to make a difference with his life! That’s a great thing. Look what is happening. Peter, James and John are on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus. They are catching a rare glimpse (not a full-orbed view but a veiled view) of what Christ might look like in His glorified state. How wonderful and awe-inspiring that must have been.

And for a man like Peter… a man of outspokenness and conviction . . . He has to do something, anything, to get his mind and feelings around what is happening. You can almost feel his excitement as he asks Christ to let him get busy.

How about us? How do we apply our understanding of the text to our lives, especially in light of looking forward to Resurrection Sunday? I believe God the Father is speaking to our hearts to slow down. We don’t have to be busy like Peter. We must take our time to look towards Christ and who He is (remember God’s only begotten Son).

But most importantly, it’s critical we have our focus upon Christ. To hear him. To hear Him means more than hearing by the ear. It means we listen with a full heart and with a will to obey.

Reflection
So, take time now to reread the text for today. Take time to think of the glory and honor with which the Father has given to Jesus our risen savior. And take time to listen at His feet and obey. A great step of obedience today is just to worship who He is.

Prayer
Father, thank You for redirecting my thoughts to Your precious Son and His great worth today. Let me live in the reality of who He is and the great work He accomplished on my behalf. All praise and glory and honor to our great God and King.