Scripture to Read: 2 Peter 1:16
In all of our lives, God has times when He allows us to experience Him more broadly and profoundly than we ever expected. Even though He lives in us through His Holy Spirit, there are moments of deep intimacy with our Lord that are additional sweet times with Him. When Christ was here in the flesh, the Holy Spirit was not yet indwelling the original disciples as they followed our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, the disciples still got to experience Christ’s wondrous works in some pretty miraculous ways. Of all of the disciples, Peter, James, and John were the only three invited to some extraordinary experiences with our Lord, which means the other disciples did not get to experience these same special times but only heard about them after they happened. One of those special times with our Lord was on the Mount of Transfiguration as recorded in Matthew 17:1–5, Mark 9:2–7, and Luke 9:28–35. God the Father allowed Peter, James, and John to be eyewitnesses of Him revealing through our Lord Jesus Christ the radiance of His Shekinah glory (Shekinah is the Hebrew name given to the presence of God dwelling on earth, and Jesus was the ultimate form of God appearing to man in all His glory). This experience on the Mount of Transfiguration would have been an incredible honor and privilege for Peter, James, and John. So, as Peter mentions in 2 Peter 1:16 being an eyewitness of Christ’s majesty, Peter was referencing his experience with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Challenge & Application
· What kind of special times of intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ have you experienced over the years?
· How has God transformed you through those experiences and how have you shared those experiences with others?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!