Week 36: Day 1
In the first Orbit of this new week, Pete Baker shares about how we can centre our lives around Jesus as the Son of God, not just a friend or great teacher.
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
Intro: Hello and welcome to Orbit, a short reflection to help you put God at the centre of your life from the team behind Satellites - I'm Pete Baker. Each weekday we share a little bit of the Bible with you, give you a chance to pray and think about it, and provide you with one practical way to put it into practice today.
Bible: Today's reading comes from Mark chapter 9, starting at verse 2:
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, a voice came from the cloud; “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!”
Suddenly, when they looked around they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
Thoughts: Here’s the 1st thing that strikes me in this story. Jesus is spending time with some of his closest friends; they consider him to be there teacher, their Rabbi. They don’t at this point consider Jesus to be divine, to be God. Even that as an idea might seem odd to them! But here in this story, Jesus is transformed in front of their eyes, transfigured, like the same person but different! Not only is Jesus transformed but seems to be talking to heroes of the faith who left this earth thousands of years before! Jesus is revealed to them not just as a great teacher or a good friend but as the very Son of God, who is known and loved by the Creator God.
I wonder if to you Jesus might be a great moral teacher or your closest friend but He might also want to reveal Himself to you today as God in human form. What could it mean for you today to orbit your life on the reality that Jesus is God?
Pray: Lord Jesus, the King of Heaven, we want to know you today as friend, as teacher but more than that, as the Lord of our lives and the God who is love who fills our hearts and our lives with His loving presence. Come and live in me today, in Jesus name, Amen.
Silence: There's now just a few moments of silence for you to pray, reflect on these ideas, or simply sit and be still.
Action: Every day on Orbit we give you a simple practical challenge to help you put this passage into action in your life. Here's today's:
In the story Jesus led His disciples to a ‘high place’ in order to see His true identity as God in human form. Today could you take a walk to quiet place, a place that reminds you of this story and pray that you might connect with Jesus as friend, teacher and God.
Outro: That's it for today's Orbit. Thanks so much for joining us - we'll be back with another reflection tomorrow.