| A bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” |
| —Matthew 17:5 |
Have you ever felt pride and joy when someone acknowledged you? I can remember the very first time that I felt that kind of sense of well-being:
I had given a talk at a fifth grade program. After the program ended, I was making my way through the crowd to where my dad was standing. As I got closer, I heard someone ask him which child was his. Just as I reached his side, my dad put his arm around me and said with obvious pride, “This is my son!”
To understand how unique this experience was for me, you have to understand that my father—though he was a very wonderful man, a devout Christian, a hard-worker, a loving husband and father—did not normally exhibit much of any outward affection. So, it was surprising to receive a hug and to hear such pride in his voice. There is something very special about hearing such an acknowledgement.
Now imagine that you are the Son of God. Your Father, God, has directed you to take your key disciples to a mountaintop. There your Father reveals His power and glory. Here’s part of Matthew’s record of this event, as found in Matthew 17:5:
A bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
As we begin a new day, this message from God echoes down through the ages:
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
Let’s us obey God and listen to His Son. As we read the Gospels, let’s allow the words of Jesus to penetrate deeply into our hearts and minds. And, let us follow the pathway He has laid out before us.
Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, September 1, 2017
