Daily Reading: Matthew 17
And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (Matthew 17.4)
Devotional Thought: When Jesus had a mountain top meeting with Moses and Elijah, he invited some disciples to join them. One of them, Peter, even joined in with the discussion. What can we glean from Peter’s words in verse 4?
It is good that we are here… Peter recognized that he and James and John were indeed blessed to be with Jesus. This was a very sacred experience - listening in on the very council of heaven. That was good! It is good to be where God reveals his glory.
If you wish… Peter thought he had a good idea (which turned out to be wrong), but he deferred to the will of Jesus. It’s not bad for us to take initiative in our service to Christ. God is pleased with spiritual initiative, but we should always ask ourselves, “Is this what God wants?”
I will make three tents… Since it was good, he thought, “Hey, why not stay here?” Well, as the old adage goes, you can’t stay on the mountaintop! When we have “God-moments” we need to recognize that the moment will pass. What we learn in the moment will go with us forever. We must leave the moment and go live what we learn.
Watch for God-moments: times when scripture speaks a definite truth to you, butterflies that you feel in your stomach as God impresses his call upon you, services in church when you feel the power and the conviction of the Spirit, interactions with people – especially the poor and outcast who represent Christ in our world. Hunger for them (but do not seek or try to “manufacture” them), for even small God-moments have great meaning and will shape the course of your life.
Prayer: Lord, like Moses, I long to see your glory. Help me to meet you on the mountaintops when you are near. But, help me, also, to come down from the mountain and live out what I experience there. Amen.
Psalm of the Day: Psalm 89:27-39
27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.
29 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.
30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules,
31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments,
32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes,
33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.
36 His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me.
37 Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies." Selah
38 But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust.
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