June 5....Listen to him!

Matthew 17:5 “This is my Beloved Son on whom my favor rests. Listen to him.” (NAB)

“This is my son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

Jesus is your beloved Son….”on whom my favor rests”. Jesus did everything You wanted him to do. He fulfilled his purpose in accord with your will. No one else has done that ever. No other human has reached that perfection level. No other human abides that closely with You, the Father. You tell us very plainly here….”Listen to Him!” We aren’t perfect, can never be perfect on our own…but we can learn, we can change, we can come to know Jesus is an abiding relationship that will make us more Christ-like. He makes us what we aren’t and can't be on our own. Listening is always the starting place. Listening to Jesus means hearing his voice as he speaks the words of scripture. Letting him direct his teachings at us, just as he did his disciples, the crowds, the Pharisees. We are all of those people! We are the woman at the well, weary from our daily grind, carrying heavy bags of sin, seeking to find one who will give us “living water”, so we will never be thirsty again!. We are Zacchaeus climbing a tree eagerly to see the One who might come home with us and change our lives. We are the blind man begging to see. We are the lepers wanting to be made clean. We are the rich ruler wanting heaven, but not quite willing to pay the price of all he have. We are the Pharisees closing our ears and placing burdens on others. We are the worriers in need of watching the lilies and the birds and learning that You will provide for us. We are the fisherman minding our jobs when you suddenly say, “follow me” and draw us toward something life-changing. We are the ones who beg you to save our dying sons and daughters. We are the ones sitting on the hillside wanting to learn, to hear words of hope. We are the woman caught in sin, ashamed, condemned…..pardoned! We are Mary, we are Martha, we are Peter, we are Nicodemas. We are hungry and thirsty for righteousness and need to listen to the One who can give us rest from our burdens, hope of salvation, peace……words to heal us, save us, change us. “LISTEN TO HIM!” Only He, has the words of life! Amen.