“When God speaks, listen to him.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – August 23, 2025
For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16, CSB
The Christian faith is often dismissed as a simplistic myth or fable, a story that people tell themselves to make sense of the world or find meaning in an otherwise bleak and unforgiving world. And while this sentiment may have resonance in certain circles today, it is utterly foreign and completely unknown to the early Christians who first followed Jesus as Lord. For them, faith flowed from lived experience. The eternal life of God’s kingdom broke into their world in an unavoidable and inescapable way, and all they could do was respond.
When our Lord was transfigured on the Holy Mountain, Peter was left undone. This was not a cleverly devised theological framework or a narrative weaving together of the Old and New Testaments, though of course it revealed Christ as the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets. No, it was a divine action, the creator of the world speaking into his creation in a way that obliterated every human category or expectation. As Peter says in verses 18 and 19 of today’s passage, “We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it.” He heard the voice, and all we can do in response is pay attention!
Perhaps we make the Christian life more complicated than it is. It is difficult, no doubt, but I’m not sure it’s as complicated as it sometimes seems. If we lived by this truth – “When God speaks, listen to him” – we would go a long way towards a faithful and flourishing life! The voice from heaven breaks into our world, inviting us to listen to the beloved Son of the Father, the one upon whom God’s favor rests. Let us respond to this voice with faithful obedience, that we too may know “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Prayer
Father, keep us from the folly of myths and fables, but instead root our faith firmly in the revelation of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Turn the truth of today’s passage into a prayer you can pray throughout your day. “When God speaks, I will listen to him.”
Related Reading
Deuteronomy 18:15; John 10:27; Hebrews 1:1-2
Worship Resource
Speak O Lord: Keith & Kristyn Getty
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