March 24th Daily Devotion

20 Feb March 24th Daily Devotion

 A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PETER’S SECOND LETTER  

FACT OR FICTION

2 Peter 1:16 “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

Books are either fact or fiction.  There is nothing more intriguing than reading a mystery written by Grisham, Balducci, or Patterson.  These gifted writers can spin a story that draws you in so in your mind you are right there in the middle of the story seeing everything they are writing about.  There is nothing better than reading one of their books where the story so captures you, you are unable to put the book down.  However, in the end, you know that what they have written is fiction.  The story never happened.  The characters are not real.  The events never occurred.

Fact, on the other hand is an entirely different issue.  Bob Woodword, an investigative journalist, has written numerous books.  Most of them revolve around some aspect of the Presidency of the United States or the men who have held the office.  In some cases, his books, carefully researched and documented have uncovered scandalous behavior on the part of these powerful men and literally, certainly in part, even caused one to resign from office.

St. Peter wrote concerning Jesus Christ, “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16) Peter followed Jesus during his entire earthly ministry.  Peter was selected by Jesus to accompany Him to witness His transfiguration where Peter saw Jesus standing before his very eyes as the Holy and Mighty One and heard Yahweh say of Jesus, “This is my beloved Son. . .”

Reading Peter’s words in both his first and second letter is reading non-fiction.  You are reading a firsthand, eyewitness account of a man who heard Jesus & Yahweh with his own ears and saw the glorified Jesus with his own eyes.  Peter writes in today’s devotional verse that what he is writing is non-fiction.  It is the truth.

Peter’s writings and all of the Holy Scriptures exist because the Holy Spirit inspired and revealed to special writers the very word of God that is truth.  All of it the Holy Spirit caused to be written that you would trust what it says, follow what is taught, believe in Jesus who is revealed as your Savior from sin, Satan, the world, and the only way for you to enter heaven.

Prayer:  O Lord, grant me faith to trust and believe Your word which is truth.  Amen.

We walk by faith and not by sight, No gracious words we hear

From Him who spoke as none e’er spoke, But we believe Him near.

We may not touch His hands and side, Nor follow where He trod;

But ion His promise we rejoice And cry “My Lord and God!”

Help then, O Lord, our unbelief; And may our faith abound

To call on You when You are near And seek where You are found.

For You, O resurrected Lord, Are found in means divine;

Beneath the water and the Word, Beneath the bread and wine.

Lord, when our life of faith is done, In realms of clearer light

We may behold You as You are, With full and endless sight.

(LSB 720)