as he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “this is my Son, my chosen One; listen to him!” and when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. and they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. [acts 9:34-35]
Jesus takes james, john, and peter up a mountain for a moment …
alone …
with God.
i believe God is trying to get us alone with him way more than we realize.
the three and Jesus went up the mountain and something amazing happened … God the Father allowed God the Son a moment of enjoying the fullness of the glory he had once known.
now about eight days after these sayings he took with him peter and john and james and went up on the mountain to pray. and as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. [luke 9:28-29]
and he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. [matt 17:2]
for a moment – Jesus was full of the glory he had once known. his earth suit came off – so to speak – and the fullness of his eternal nature (or close to all of his full eternal nature) came on. that was not all – God the Father sent moses and elijah to minister to Jesus speaking to him of his last days here on earth!
and behold, two men were talking with him, moses and elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at jerusalem. [Lk 9:30–31]
the the response of three in seeing this moment, lead by peter, was to build a place of worship right there on the mountain – and stay and worship. but the word tells us he had know idea what he was saying and he was just babbling on – most likely because he was stunned and excited.
and as the men were parting from him, peter said to Jesus, “master, it is good that we are here. let us make three tents, one for you and one for moses and one for elijah”—not knowing what he said. [lk 9:33]
often when God gets us alone – we talk a lot. we have a hard time listening, being still, waiting on the Lord. peter was no different. in his anxious full heart – he just began to go and go and go – and then …
as he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “this is my Son, my chosen One; listen to him!” and when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. and they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. [acts 9:34-35]
God the Father came and hushed him with a great cloud and an even greater voice that said – you are with God (my Son), the Messiah (my chosen One), – now be quiet, be still, and wait (listen to him).
they forgot, were not sure, doubted, struggled to believe – whatever the case – they did not realize in this moment they were with God as they were with Jesus. and God just wanted them to be with him … still with him, quiet with him, wait with him.
today –
God wants a moment to be alone
with you.
be still
be silent
be waiting
with him.
if you need something to think and meditate and pray in silence as you wait use this word …
“this is my Son, my chosen One; listen to him!”
now wait.
~ john ryan