The Upper Room Daily Reflections in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Truly Present" for Wednesday, 22 February 2017

The Upper Room Daily Reflections in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Truly Present" for Wednesday, 22 February 2017

Today’s Reflection:
LET ME describe what it means to be truly present. Being present involves letting go of our constant preoccupations, immersing ourselves in the here and now, and giving ourselves wholeheartedly to whatever is at hand. … It’s about becoming more aware, alert, awake to the fullness of the immediate moment.
If we are with another person, it means engaging with him or her with all of our heart, our mind, our soul, and our strength. Such wholehearted attention requires patience, time, and disciplined effort. And it is one of the greatest gifts that we can give to those around us, especially our suffering neighbor.[Trevor Hudson, A Mile in My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion]
From pages 30-31 of A Mile in My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion by Trevor Hudson. Copyright © 2005 by Trevor Hudson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
Look for an opportunity to be truly present with someone today.
Today’s Scripture:
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.[2 Peter 1:16, NRSV]
This Week: pray for those experiencing serious health issues.
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Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
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This week we remember: Eric Liddell (February 21).

Eric Liddell
February 21
In 1902 Eric Liddell was born in China to Scottish missionary parents. He was educated in England, was a rugby standout, and earned the nickname “the Flying Scotsman.” As a young evangelist he drew large crowds because of his athletic fame.
When he competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics, Liddell made a stir when he refused to compete in his best track and field event, the men's 100 meter race, because the competition was on a Sunday. Eric Liddell won a gold medal in the 200 metre and a bronze in the 100 meter.
After racing in the Olympics, Eric returned to China where he was a long-term missionary with the China Inland Mission. In 1932 he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He married and had three children. In World War II, British citizens were counseled to leave China, so Liddell’s family returned to England. Eric, however, chose to remain and go to a rural mission to help provide medical care.
During Japanese occupation of China, Eric was imprisoned in an internment camp where he taught and supervised sports activities. Eric Liddell died there of a brain tumor shortly after his forty-third birthday on February 21, 1945.
If Eric Liddell had taken the Spiritual Types Test he probably would have been Prophet. Eric Liddell is remembered on February 21.

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This Sunday, February 26, 2017
Transfiguration Sunday: Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 119:33-40; Psalm 99; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9
Lectionary Readings:
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Exodus 24:12-18

Psalm 119:33-40

Psalm 99

2 Peter 1:16-21

Matthew 17:1-9

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Scripture Text: Exodus 24:12 Adonai said to Moshe, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there. I will give you the stone tablets with the Torah and the mitzvot I have written on them, so that you can teach them.” 13 Moshe got up, also Y’hoshua his assistant; and Moshe went up onto the mountain of God. 14 To the leaders he said, “Stay here for us, until we come back to you. See, Aharon and Hur are with you; whoever has a problem should turn to them.” (S: Maftir) 15 Moshe went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. (A: Maftir) 16 The glory of Adonai stayed on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moshe out of the cloud. 17 To the people of Isra’el the glory of Adonai looked like a raging fire on the top of the mountain. 18 Moshe entered the cloud and went up on the mountain; he was on the mountain forty days and nights.

Psalm 119:ה (Heh)
33 Teach me, Adonai, the way of your laws;
keeping them will be its own reward for me.
34 Give me understanding; then I will keep your Torah;
I will observe it with all my heart.
35 Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,
for I take pleasure in it.
36 Bend my heart toward your instructions
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
with your ways, give me life.
38 Fulfill your promise, which you made to your servant,
which you made to those who fear you.
39 Avert the disgrace which I dread,
for your rulings are good.
40 See how I long for your precepts;
in your righteousness, give me life!
Psalm 99:1 Adonai is king; let the peoples tremble.

He sits enthroned on the k’ruvim; let the earth shake!

2 Adonai is great in Tziyon;

he is high above all the peoples.

3 Let them praise your great and fearsome name (he is holy):

4 “Mighty king who loves justice, you established

fairness, justice and righteousness in Ya‘akov.”

5 Exalt Adonai our God!

Prostrate yourselves at his footstool (he is holy).

6 Moshe and Aharon among his cohanim

and Sh’mu’el among those who call on his name

called on Adonai, and he answered them.

7 He spoke to them in the column of cloud;

they kept his instructions and the law that he gave them.

8 Adonai our God, you answered them.

To them you were a forgiving God,

although you took vengeance on their wrongdoings.

9 Exalt Adonai our God,

bow down toward his holy mountain,

for Adonai our God is holy!

2 Peter 1:16 For when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, we did not rely on cunningly contrived myths. On the contrary, we saw his majesty with our own eyes. 17 For we were there when he received honor and glory from God the Father; and the voice came to him from the grandeur of the Sh’khinah, saying, “This is my son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him!” 18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 Yes, we have the prophetic Word made very certain. You will do well to pay attention to it as to a light shining in a dark, murky place, until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all, understand this: no prophecy of Scripture is to be interpreted by an individual on his own; 21 for never has a prophecy come as a result of human willing — on the contrary, people moved by the Ruach HaKodesh spoke a message from God.

Matthew 17:1 Six days later, Yeshua took Kefa, Ya‘akov and his brother Yochanan and led them up a high mountain privately. 2 As they watched, he began to change form — his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became as white as light. 3 Then they looked and saw Moshe and Eliyahu speaking with him. 4 Kefa said to Yeshua, “It’s good that we’re here, Lord. I’ll put up three shelters if you want — one for you, one for Moshe and one for Eliyahu.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them; and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the talmidim heard this, they were so frightened that they fell face down on the ground. 7 But Yeshua came and touched them. “Get up!” he said, “Don’t be afraid.” 8 So they opened their eyes, looked up and saw only Yeshua by himself.

9 As they came down the mountain, Yeshua ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Exodus 24:12-18

Verse 12

[12] And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

Come up to the mount and be there — Expect to continue there for some time.

Verse 13

[13] And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

Joshua was his minister or servant, and it would be a satisfaction to him to have him with him as a companion during the six days that he tarried in the mount before God called to him. Joshua was to be his successor, and therefore thus he was honoured before the people, and thus he was prepared by being trained up in communion with God. Joshua was a type of Christ, and (as the learned Bishop Peirson well observes Moses takes him with him into the mount, because without Jesus, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, there is no looking into the secrets of heaven, nor approaching the presence of God.

Verse 16

[16] And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

A cloud covered the mount six days — A visible token of God's special presence there, for he so shews himself to us, as at the same time to conceal himself from us, he lets us know so much as to assure us of his power and grace, but intimates to us that we cannot find him out to perfection. During these six days Moses staid waiting upon the mountain, for a call into the presence-chamber.

And on the seventh day — Probably the sabbath-day, he called unto Moses. Now the thick cloud opened in the sight of all Israel, and the glory of the Lord broke forth like devouring fire.

Verse 18

[18] And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Moses went into the midst of the cloud — It was an extraordinary presence of mind, which the grace of God furnished him with, else he durst not have ventured into the cloud, especially when it broke out in devouring fire.

And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights — It should seem the six days, were not part of the forty; for during those six days, Joshua was with Moses, who did eat of the manna, and drink of the brook mentioned, Deuteronomy 9:21, and while they were together, it is probable Moses did eat and drink with him; but when Moses was called into the midst of the cloud, he left Joshua without, who continued to eat and drink daily while he waited for Moses's return, but from thenceforward Moses fasted.

Psalm 119:33-40
Verse 36
[36] Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Covetousness — He mentions this in particular, because it is most opposite to God's testimonies, and does most commonly hinder men from receiving his word, and from profiting by it: and because it is most pernicious, as being the root of all evil.
Verse 37
[37] Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
Vanity — The vain things of this present world, such as riches, honours, pleasures: from beholding them, with desire or affection.
Quicken — Make me lively, vigorous and fervent in thy service.
Verse 38
[38] Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
Stablish — Confirm and perform thy promises.
Verse 39
[39] Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
I fear — For my instability in thy ways; which in respect to my own weakness, I have great cause to fear.
Verse 40
[40] Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.
Longed — After a more solid knowledge and constant performance of them.
In — According to thy faithfulness.
Psalm 99

(Read all of Psalm 99)

Verse 1

[1] The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

People — Such as are enemies to God and his people.

Sitteth — Upon the ark. He is present with his people.

Earth — The people of the earth.

Moved — With fear and trembling.

Verse 3

[3] Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.

Them — All people.

Verse 4

[4] The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

Judgment — Though his dominion be absolute, and his power irresistible, yet he manages it with righteousness. The king's strength is by a known Hebraism put for the strong, or powerful king.

Equity — In all thy proceedings.

Verse 5

[5] Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

Foot-stool — Before the ark, which is so called, 1 Chronicles 28:2.

Holy — It is consecrated to be a pledge of God's presence.

Verse 6

[6] Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.

Moses — Moses before the institution of the priesthood executed that office, Exodus 24:6.

That call — Who used frequently and solemnly to intercede with God on the behalf of the people.

Verse 7

[7] He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

Spake — To some of them: to Moses and Aaron, Exodus 19:24; 33:9-11; 1 Samuel 7:9, etc.

Verse 8

[8] Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

Them — The intercessors before mentioned.

Forgavest — The people for whom they prayed, so far as not to inflict that total destruction upon them which they deserved;

2 Peter 1:16-21

Verse 16

[16] For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

These things are worthy to be always had in remembrance For they are not cunningly devised fables - Like those common among the heathens.

While we made known to you the power and coming — That is, the powerful coming of Christ in glory. But if what they advanced of Christ was not true, if it was of their own invention, then to impose such a lie on the world as it was, in the very nature of things, above all human power to defend, and to do this at the expense of life and all things only to enrage the whole world, Jews and gentiles, against them, was no cunning, but was the greatest folly that men could have been guilty of.

But were eyewitnesses of his majesty — At his transfiguration, which was a specimen of his glory at the last day.

Verse 17

[17] For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

For he received divine honour and inexpressible glory - Shining from heaven above the brightness of the sun.

When there came such a voice from the excellent glory — That is, from God the Father. Matthew 17:5.

Verse 18

[18] And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

And we — Peter, James, and John. St. John was still alive.

Being with him in the holy mount — Made so by that glorious manifestation, as mount Horeb was of old, Exodus 3:4,5.

Verse 19

[19] We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

And we — St. Peter here speaks in the name of all Christians.

Have the word of prophecy — The words of Moses, Isaiah, and all the prophets, are one and the same word, every way consistent with itself. St. Peter does not cite any particular passage, but speaks of their entire testimony.

More confirmed — By that display of his glorious majesty. To which word ye do well that ye take heed, as to a lamp which shone in a dark place - Wherein there was neither light nor window. Such anciently was the whole world, except that little spot where this lamp shone.

Till the day should dawn — Till the full light of the gospel should break through the darkness. As is the difference between the light of a lamp and that of the day, such is that between the light of the Old Testament and of the New.

And the morning star — Jesus Christ, Revelation 22:16.

Arise in your hearts — Be revealed in you.

Verse 20

[20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Ye do well, as knowing this, that no scripture prophecy is of private interpretation - It is not any man's own word. It is God, not the prophet himself, who thereby interprets things till then unknown.

Verse 21

[21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

For prophecy came not of old by the will of man — Of any mere man whatever.

But the holy men of God — Devoted to him, and set apart by him for that purpose, spake and wrote.

Being moved — Literally, carried. They were purely passive therein.

Matthew 17:1-9

(Read all of Matthew 17)

Verse 2

[2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And was transfigured — Or transformed. The indwelling Deity darted out its rays through the veil of the flesh; and that with such transcendent splendour, that he no longer bore the form of a servant. His face shone with Divine majesty, like the sun in its strength; and all his body was so irradiated by it, that his clothes could not conceal its glory, but became white and glittering as the very light, with which he covered himself as with a garment.

Verse 3

[3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

There appeared Moses and Elijah — Here for the full confirmation of their faith in Jesus, Moses, the giver of the law, Elijah, the most zealous of all the prophets, and God speaking from heaven, all bore witness to him.

Verse 4

[4] Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Let us make three tents — The words of rapturous surprise. He says three, not six: because the apostles desired to be with their Master.

Verse 5

[5] While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Hear ye him — As superior even to Moses and the prophets. See Deuteronomy 18:17.

Verse 7

[7] And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

Be not afraid — And doubtless the same moment he gave them courage and strength.

Verse 9

[9] And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

Tell the vision to no man — Not to the rest of the disciples, lest they should be grieved and discouraged because they were not admitted to the sight: nor to any other persons, lest it should enrage some the more, and his approaching sufferings shall make others disbelieve it; till the Son of man be risen again - Till the resurrection should make it credible, and confirm their testimony about it.

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