August 23, 2023
Daily Devotion:
"GET UP and DON’T BE AFRAID"
Matthew 17:5-7
New International Version
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus
came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”
As Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem, He knew the days ahead would be challenging for the disciples. He had already told them He’d be arrested and killed and then would rise from the dead (Matthew 16:21). His followers would face costly sacrifices (Matthew 16:24), and the way ahead seemed bleak.
Can we live in the same light? Jesus would later comfort His disciples with a further promise—that He would be with them always (Matthew 28:20). Remembering the promise of God’s
presence helps us endure with hope. We may not face the same persecution the disciples did, but the cost of following Jesus remains high. Focusing on Him and the coming kingdom that was revealed in the Transfiguration helps us live without fear.
