The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-eight of his book Luke shared how Jesus took “Peter and James and John … up into a mountain” where we read:
And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings,
he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
The verse reads, “And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, ...” Luke began with the words, “and it came to pass” or “and it happened or came into existence” “about an eight days” which means “about eight sunrises to sunsets” “after these sayings” or “in succession to Jesus telling His disciples there were some standing with Him who would not die before they saw God's Kingdom”. Luke shared how “eight days” passed after Jesus made His proclamation to His disciples concerning some of them not dying before they saw the “Kingdom of God”.
The verse goes on to say, “... he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.” Luke continued with the words, “he took Peter” which means “Jesus received and brought His disciple Peter whose name means a little rock or stone” “and John” or “and Jesus' disciple John whose name means God is a gracious giver” “and James” which refers to “Jesus' disciple James whose name means supplanter”, “and went up” or “and ascended” “into a mountain to pray” which means “toward a rising above the plain to worship, supplicate and make orations to God”. Luke shared how Jesus brought His three disciples, “Peter, James and John” along with Him as He climbed a “mountain” to “worship and make orations” to His Father God.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see the beginning of Jesus fulfilling His words that some of His disciples would not die before they saw the “Kingdom of God”. Jesus, as His habit was, withdrew from the crowds and many of His disciples to “pray” to His Heavenly Father. Jesus “prayed” in solitude often, and because He continually communicated with His Father God, He not only related to Him but also discovered the direction, plan and purpose for His life. God desires to have a personal, loving relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him, drawing aside to “pray” becomes a regular practice of worship in their lives.
Next time Luke shares how, “the fashion of” Jesus' “countenance was altered”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment