Listen to Jesus – February 19, 2021

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Mark 9:7

Listen to Jesus

The city of New York is one of the busiest, most stress-filled cities on the planet. Yet even in the middle of New York’s chaos, you can find some encouragement. On the corner of 5th Avenue and 14th Street, there is a dog named Loubie with her owner. Loubie is there for one reason: to give hugs to anyone who wants one. She’s there almost every day, ready to give an encouraging hug to anyone in need of one. She’s been there giving hugs for multiple years now, and she has not yet run out of people to hug. You probably know why.

God does too. He knows how hard your life often is. God knows how difficult it can be to live with your disappointments. He knows the pain this broken world can so quickly bring. It’s why he urged the disciples on the mountain of the transfiguration to listen to Jesus. He wanted them, and us, to know about the encouragement that is waiting for us in the middle of everything.

You may never get a hug from Loubie on the corner of 5th Avenue and 14th Street, but you will always find the loving encouragement of Jesus in the Bible, which is where we can hear his voice over and over, again and again.

Find a quiet place away from the busyness of life. Away from the hurt. Away from the stress. You don’t need to stay long. Just long enough to be reminded of what kind of God is listening whenever you cry out to him. He’s the one whose powerful arms are always wrapped around your precious life and whose glorious grace and mercy will never fail to bring you all the way to the home Jesus won for you when he walked down the mountain of transfiguration and made his way to the cross.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, open my ears to the loving voice of Jesus as I open your Word so that I am led through life by the voice of the Savior, who knows my name and is stronger than any enemy that would take me from you. Amen.