Today’s Reading: Mark 9:2-32; Luke 9:28-45
About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.
Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. – Luke 9:28-32
When the disciples woke up, they experienced something amazing — too wonderful to speak about. When they opened their eyes and focused on Jesus, they saw something remarkable — something they never expected to see.
As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But even as he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.
Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen. – Luke 9:33-36
When we don’t know what to say, perhaps it’s time to listen. Have you been there? Has there ever been a time when you were so uncomfortable with the silence that you filled it with your own voice? Perhaps your time with Jesus is also more about your voice than His. Let’s allow God’s words from the cloud to wash over us in a new way today.
“THIS IS MY SON, MY CHOSEN ONE. LISTEN TO HIM.”
The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. A man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”
Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”
As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father. Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power. – Luke 9:37-43
Jesus spoke the word and the evil spirit had to flee. The power of God was unleashed at Jesus’ command. Even the demons listen and respond to the voice of the Messiah as he frees souls from the grip of Satan, restoring them into the fold of God.
While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. – Luke 9:43b-45
“LISTEN TO ME AND REMEMBER WHAT I SAY.”
Pay attention. Listen. You have been chosen for this moment; you have a calling on your life. Open your eyes and see that Jesus is Lord; open your ears and listen to what he is saying. You may not understand everything that is happening in your life, but trust the God who knows it all and has a plan in place. When he leads you to the mountain, follow him. When he invites you to spend time alone with him, pursue his invitation and you will experience God in a new way. When he asks you to wait for understanding, trust him. When you need strongholds to be broken so that you can experience freedom, listen to the voice of Jesus as he breaks your chains.