What would I have Done?

Matthew 17:1-5

I’ve been blessed to live in the United States of America; it is a special nation of many diverse languages and people, it is a giving nation, it has sent its sons and daughters to fight and die for many other nations and people.  Men who looked to God as their source founded it on belief in God, and this came out of those beliefs; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The USA has been blessed with a life style of affluence, where someone like myself with little direction, little encouragement, and no wealth, can live a life style not imagined by my parents and all that was God’s blessing, not government, for God put in me a desire to work hard, to save, and to help those who were in need.  He also gave me a family called the church that I’ve been blessed to give of the blessings He has given to me and to establish friendships that are for eternity.

Yes, this nation has been blessed with a wealth of resources, both in materials and technology, and yet it has so many voices asking for more without the investment of self, it has looked to the other gods, gods that bring stuff, free stuff, and government that is encouraging dependence on bigger government, but government has never produced anything, it has only taken.  We are becoming a nation of talkers, not a nation of doers, and when you talk, it is impossible to listen, for you are too impressed with yourself to hear from others, much less listen to a God who is unseen.

Many a preacher and teacher have given the apostle Peter a hard time for opening mouth and inserting foot, for talking when he had no clue of what was going on.  But I believe we live in a nation of Peter’s, who read the Scriptures but do not listen and never put our selves in the story.  We must use this wonderful gift of imagination to grasp the foolishness of man and the holiness of God.

If I had been there, now that’s a beginning, what would I have done; Jesus is transfigured before me, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light, and I’m not knowing what to do, He is beautiful, and I should be frightened, but as I look on Him, He is the essence love, of peace, and I’ve never known joy like I am feeling.  The next thing I notice is two men talking with Jesus, and I do not understand how I know them, for they lived long before me, but I do, it is Moses and Elijah, and they are talking with the Lord, just like old friends getting together.

The silence is deafening, but Peter speaks up, it is so great to have a Peter who asks the questions you would like to ask, and this was what Peter said; “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.” He was still speaking when, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”  Now let me tell you something, all that joy was gone in a moment and I was terrified with my face to the ground, and later I learned that so was Peter, James, and John.

Do you know what happened next, we are all in total fear of our lives when Jesus touched me, and as I looked into His face, all fear was gone?   It has been years since that day, and often I’ve looked elsewhere, but the Spirit of God reminds me of that day, the day when God said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” It is a choice I must make each day, and often many times during that day, will I listen to Jesus and obey?

From the Back Porch,