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.” 5 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.”
Matthew 17:4-5
Thank God for those times when God allows us to experience His Presence. These times of refreshing are times to hear God anew. As far as we know, the only people besides Jesus who heard this were Peter, James, and John. These were men who had been with Jesus all this time, seen the miracles, heard the teaching, and had only recently reaffirmed that, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” They had just witnessed Him chatting with Moses and Elijah and contextualizing His ministry with all that had gone before. They surely knew who He was, and they heard Him teach every day! Still, God apparently wanted to remind them in a powerful way. They were only beginning to get a glimpse of the challenges that lay ahead.
Revival always calls us to remember whose we are, acknowledging Him as Lord, and committing anew to hear and obey, confident that His way is the best way. This is especially true when times of testing lie ahead. Between this moment and the cross, there remained a series of tests and teaching opportunities that would try their commitment. I believe we can say the same for the Church today. It ain’t gonna get any easier, and the next big leap in the redemption plan is nigh. We need to know that we didn’t just join a religious club, but that we heard God and found a connection to eternity in Jesus Christ. Sometimes the daily-ness of life dulls our senses, even while we are serving God. We need times of refreshing that remind us Who we’re following, that we’re part of a bigger picture, and that only He can help us navigate.
As we head for the gathering of the saints, let’s pray for His Presence, His Power, and the Word we need to fulfill His plan.
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