He Loves Us and Is Well Pleased

This morning I felt like I should read from Matthew's Gospel, chapter 17.  This chapter has several interesting stories, but this morning my eyes and heart landed on the Transfiguration of Jesus.  Here are the verses - Matthew 17:1-5 NIV:

[1] "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. [2] There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. [3] Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

[4] Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters---one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

[5] While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

I really like the beginning of verse 5, where the Father interrupts Peter.  Sometimes I don't  know when to shut up, and apparently Peter suffered the same affliction. :-)

The other thought I had was how much the Father wanted them to know about His love for Jesus.  He shows up in a bright cloud and just barges right into the conversation!  I imagine it like a dinner party where Jesus is standing there talking to Elijah and Moses, Peter is trying desperately to get included in their conversation by saying stupid things and in barges the Father in a dazzling cloud, and just starts shouting about how much He loves His son.  It wasn't for show, it was just because He was overcome with emotion and love!  He was bursting with pride and love, wanting everyone to know how much He loves Jesus, how proud He is (well pleased) of Him!

The best part of this meditation is that God feels the exact same way about you and me!  He loves us!  He is pleased with us!  He chose us to represent Him! God has the exact same emotion and love for us.  Jesus was constantly telling us how much the Father loves us.  His most famous statement is found in John's Gospel - John 3:16-17 NIV "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

Additionally Jesus tells us later in John 14:21, 23 NIV:

[21] "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

[23] Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

The Father is unchanging in His love, and when He loves us, He loves us like He loves everyone else.  He has loved us since before the creation of the world (Eph 1:4) and has never changed in His love for us.  He loves us, is proud of us, and wants us, and everyone else, to know that.

Lord, I pray that You will help me to recognize this is true!  Help me to rest in Your love!

Amen!