What a Difference the Son Makes

I awoke to the most brilliant sunshine this morning! It seemed so much brighter than the usual sunny day. My eyes watered in the glorious radiance. I felt uplifted and pulled in a higher direction. My spirit was enlightened and I chose to praise God for this incredibly beautiful day! Thank you, Lord for the blessing of Your control over the heavens and the earth.

The last several weeks have seemed to be filled with too many dark gray days. We had the lights on many of the days, just to allow us to see what we were doing. We had rain, sleet, snow, more rain, more sleet, freezing rain, sleet and more snow. Then the weather warmed and thawed all the snow into an ugly slush that covered the vehicles on the road and splattered over the grungy terraces and roadsides.

We are well into the Lenten season, a time to show penitence for our sinful ways. For me, it is also a time to reflect on Jesus' life and journey toward the cross. When I saw the sun this morning I was reminded of Resurrection morning. The glory of God filled the earth and made me feel the wonder of Jesus' gift of eternal life, that is ours to accept.

We are just a little more than halfway through Jesus' life of preaching the Good News and growing followers who will stand strong and continue His teaching when He is gone. (If we fit Jesus' precious life into the days between Christmas and Easter - as I have been attempting to do.) The disciples are still being made to realize that Jesus is the Son of God.

""But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon Son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,"" (Matthew 16:15-18a NIV).

As I read this I want to shake Peter and tell him to wake up and pay attention to what Jesus is telling him! This is important stuff! But Peter, just like me, fails to understand the significance of all that Jesus is teaching until it is almost too late. Fortunately, we get the whole picture to help us figure out that Jesus Christ came into this world to go to the cross and save us from our sins. He did that for me. Jesus went to the cross for you. Wow; what a difference the Son of God makes!

"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light," (Matthew 17:1-2 NIV).

I encourage you to read once again the story of Jesus' teachings, His life, and His journey to the cross, this Lenten season, and let the Word speak to you as it never has before.

Soak up the Son and 

allow Him to brighten your soul.