Matthew 17:1 – Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;

Peter, James, and John were privileged enough to witness Jesus transfigured upon this mountain. They seem to have occupied a special place of nearness to the Lord. Up to now His glory had been veiled in a body of flesh. The scene was a preview of what the Lord Jesus will be like when He comes back to set up His kingdom. He will no longer appear as the sacrificial Lamb, but as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. All who see Him will recognize Him immediately as God the Son. We need to get away from the troubles and the daily grind of life, and retreat into a place where we can be with Jesus, or we will fall apart under the pressures of this world. The Lord uniquely prepared Peter, James, and John for what each of them would face in their lives, and He will do the same for you. He will prepare you through the books you read, the messages you hear, and through the life experiences ahead of you. Have you noticed how when you read your devotion or hear something on the radio, and a week later a situation arises in which you needed that exact information? Always remain sensitive to His voice, and then watch the Lord’s faithfulness in preparing you for the future. He will lead you just like He did these three men on the mountain.

Challenge:

Jesus wants to lead you. He wants to show you something new and exciting. For one thing, He wants to show you a deeper aspect of His character. He desires to reveal some new dimension of Himself that you have never noticed or personally experienced. In order to receive a new revelation of the Lord, it may require you to relinquish any limited understanding you may already have of Him. Remember, these three disciples had never seen anyone transfigured before. This was something comely new for them. Therefore, Jesus was opening their deeper understanding of Himself and what they would come to expect for their future. Your challenge for this week is to allow Jesus to lead you to a place where He can show you more of Himself. Maybe He will show you how to trust Him a little bit more than you do right now. He may reveal to you how He is going to meet your seemingly impossible financial need this month. If you have been overly stressed out and anxious about a huge decision that needs to be made soon, get away with Him for a bit of time and let His peace come over you. You will discover that you do not have to endure these troubled times on your own. He is there for you. He will lead you, if you let Him.