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For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:16-21)
Do you ever have doubts about your faith? If you haven't, then you must be doing something exceptionally right. Most people have doubts. And people with doubts sometimes wonder how others can continue to believe. Sometimes doubts come with the loss of a loved one. And that's natural to have because of the great grief we bear at the loss of a spouse or family member. But here Peter is responding to people doubting his message and so he says in the first verse of this passage, "we were eyewitnesses." If an eyewitness was not a big deal why do television news call themselves Eyewitness News? In other words, I was there; I saw and heard all these things, and I especially will never forget hearing that voice say, "This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." That confirmed our faith! So, we will all do better, he continues, by being attentive to this as we would to the light of a lamp in a dark place - until the day comes when we will see the morning star (Jesus) rising in our hearts. All this we have as scripture and prophecy has not come because some humans cleverly devised it, but rather because men and women were moved by the Holy Spirit speaking to them from God.
Whatever doubt we may be facing or whatever grief may be causing our doubt, it is in God we should trust and God's voice is still heard as we read and hear the word of God taught and preached. May it be our prayer to have comfort in our hearts and joy in our souls as we are strengthened in our faith.
PRAYER: Come, Loving Father, to the heart of this dear reader; whatever pain is there because of grief replace it with comfort. If doubt has visited their heart and soul, remove it with Your loving truth. Let Jesus be the morning star of this dear reader's life, for it is in Jesus' precious and powerful name that we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
