Appropriate Responses

Scripture:
Matthew 17:6 — When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.

Observation:
Here you have Peter, James and John going up on the mountain with Jesus. They encounter Moses and Elijah (which was weird enough) and Christ whose face was like the sun and his clothes as white a snow. Not as if that was enough, you also have God’s voice which was heard from the clouds (like when Jesus was baptized). What kind of response did they have? They fell to the ground and were terrified. Was it the transfiguration of Christ? Was it seeing Moses and Elijah who should have not been in their presence? Was the voice of God ringing down on earth? These guys had encountered a Holy God and could not respond by words or by action… they simply fell to the ground and hid themselves. They realized their unworthiness and could not look on the presence of God.

Application:
Was this an appropriate response? How would I respond? Do I hear God’s voice in my life? Do I listen for his voice? I think that these guys had an encounter unlike anything that I have ever experienced. I want to hear God’s voice… I long for his direction in my life. However I fear that far too often I work, live and respond out of the fleshly abilities that He gave me. Not the direction and calling that I hear Him lead me in. When I hear God speak to me how does that affect or move me? Have I become so accustomed to it that it has no effect? Or have I become accustomed to not hearing it enough? I realize that it probably will not come in the form of a bright shinning cloud… but I pray that each and every day I long to just hear that voice in whatever way it may come. Would I fall to my face terrified (or in reverence to a Holy God)? Or would I just simply hear it and keep going through my normal routines as if I had not heard anything at all.

Prayer:
God please show me yourself in supernatural ways. I want to hear your voice, see your face, and feel you presence in my life each and every day. Lord, I want to be led by you as I serve, work, and live as a friend and husband. God please allow me to have the right respect for your holiness. So many times you become my buddy and not my Savior, creator and God. Please help me to fear your holiness and yet be in love with everything about you. Help me to have a right perspective and relationship with you. Thank you for being a personal God who has rescued your people.

— Jason Stoker, middle school pastor, Reservoir campus