Thursday-The Voice

He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

2 Peter 1:17

There are those moments in life where someone speaks and everything changes. The sound of their voice and the words they say just knock you off your feet. You remember it like it was just the other day. Here are three of my most memorable.

·       I had asked Mary Ann to marry me on one of our Saturday dates. It wasn’t any romantic setting with me on one knee while birds singing in the background. I asked her while we were driving. When she asked for some time to think about it, I was thrilled because she didn’t laugh or immediately turn me down. Anyway, the next day we’re driving along and suddenly, she turns and says, “And oh, by the way, the answer is yes.”

·       Here I was, 22 years old and laying on a hospital gurney in Baltimore. After some kind of attack with excruciating pain, I had lost the use of my hands and legs. No one knew what was going on. It was now 10:30 PM on a Sunday evening and a surgeon came in. He said that they had to immediately operate. They had no idea what was going on or if there was any chance of recovery. The best they could hope for was to stop me from getting worse.

·       One bright and warm afternoon, my dad and I were sitting on the deck of our pool. It was just a father and son hanging out together. And then, suddenly, without any warning, dad started doing something that he never did. He told me personal stories about his father and growing up during The Great Depression. His fondest memory he had about his father was them walking beside railroad tracks looking for wood and coal to heat the house.

What made each of these events so memorable and powerful was the one-two combination of who and what. Who said the words and what they said. Yes, the people were important all on their own. But their voice, their words, became something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain where the most startling things happened. As they looked at Jesus, his appearance changed. And if that wasn’t memorable enough, the voice of God came from heaven[1].

Now, I’ve never heard the voice of God out loud like Peter did. And I bet that you haven’t either. And while the voice must have been so powerful and memorable, the words that God spoke are the most important words ever spoken.

• This is. There may be a bunch of God’s “lower case” sons running around, but there is only one God’s upper-case Son. And Jesus is the one and only. This one, he’s the real deal.

• My Son. Jesus is not only God’s unique Son when it comes to people, but he’s also equal to God. The voice tells us once and for all time that Jesus was and is God from eternity past.

• I love. There’s never been a time when God the Father and God the Son were disconnected. They always give each other kindness and the absolute best. They are always giving glory to each other and they give way to the other.

• I am well pleased. When it comes to obeying God, Jesus stands alone. He alone pleased God with everything he ever did and said. His attitude was always looking out for the best in others. Loving others.

I don’t know about you, but this list makes me think about exactly who God is. Who God made me to be and all that I’ve done to make a mess of that. And all that Jesus went through for you and me.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!

Luke 5:8

Yes, Simon Peter is the same Peter who’s writing this letter. Of all the 117 billion people who have ever lived on planet Earth, this one ex-fisherman got it right. He wasn’t born into a wealthy and powerful family. He wasn’t well educated, but he learned the true truth about who God is and who we are.

When he saw who Jesus is and heard what God said, he knew what to do. He fell to the ground and worshiped. Without trying to figure it out, or to post it on social media, he did exactly the right thing.

You need to know that God wants to speak to you and me. And he does it just as powerfully through his word. So, we need to set time aside to be with him. Listen to his voice as he speaks to us. The results should be the same. Falling down and worshiping. When hen was the last time that happened? When we were listening for God and his voice spoke to us, driving us to our knees?

Noodling Questions

• Describe a time when God’s voice came to you.

• List three things that keep us from hearing God’s voice. Explain each.

• How can God’s love change the way we think? Act?

[1] Mark 9:2-8