Lewis Memorial UMC

Have you ever been in the right place at the right time……….? Special giveaways at stores……. A parking spot opens up as you pull up……. I have been going to Braves games as long as I can remember and I have always wanted a foul ball or a home run ball.……
What about in situations dealing with possible danger or damage?

Car accident that just barely misses you……. Accident needing surgery and it just happens to be the best surgeon is there….. I was at a Promise Keepers weekend several years ago and an elderly man passed out 2 rows in front of where I was standing. One of the guys with me had never been to anything like this weekend but decided to go with me. He was a captain for the fire department and trained as an EMT and he was right where he needed to be at that time.

Do you believe in coincidence? Do you think things just happen for no reason? That you just happen to be where you were when you met your spouse or when you received that raise or got that position or found that elusive parking spot? Was it a coincidence that you ended up at this church……..? I like to call these God-incidents instead! It’s not happen-stance but God-stance……..!

It was not a coincidence that Peter, James, and John were on that mountain top when the transfiguration took place! They didn’t just happen to be in the right place at the right time! They were right where they were supposed to be! They were right where they needed to be! To experience Jesus in the deepest and most profound ways means we have to be right where God needs us to be! Now that has different meaning for different people, but God knows where we need to be in our lives so that we can be closest to Jesus.

Peter, James, and John had been with Jesus for some time now and they had seen His miracles and heard His amazing teachings. But it took something extraordinary for them to realize just how awesome God is! They were right where they needed to be to experience Jesus in a powerful way. Has that ever happened to you? Has God done something amazing in your life that caused you to stop and just acknowledge His presence?

Let’s look again at Luke 9:28. Peter, James, and John went with Jesus, away from the others, to pray. We can safely assume that it is night time as we were told that the 3 disciples were heavy with sleep. Also, the magnificent, bright light would be even more radiant at night time.

I wonder why these 3 guys? Why Peter, James, and John? James and John were 2 of Jesus’ earliest disciples and Peter was a strong leader and voice for the Lord. But we really don’t know exactly why these three. What we do know is that they were right where they needed to be!

Now let’s look at verses 29-33b, “And while He was praying the appearance of His face changed and His clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to Him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. Just as they were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here.”

They were right where they needed to be! First of all they followed Jesus when He told them to follow Him. That’s the first part for all of us as well. Peter, James, and John were right where they were supposed to be because they listened to and they trusted Jesus. What does it take to be where you are supposed to be for God? Do you listen and follow when Jesus calls you? Do you trust God enough to let Him lead you to where He wants you to be?

Are you right where God needs you to be in every aspect of your life? In your work place….? Your school……? Your home…..? Your church…?

Look with me now in the Old Testament book of Micah 6:8.Micah is between Jonah and Nahum. Micah was a prophet who told the people in Judah that God wanted justice in all of society. Micah spoke about the hope to come through the Messiah and of the peace He offered. In chapter 6, verse 8 Micah wrote about God, saying “He has showed you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” When we do these three things then we are more than likely to be right where God wants and needs us to be.

In Luke we read that when the cloud came and surrounded the 3 disciples that they were terrified. I believe they were terrified for more than just their own lives. I think they were afraid that Jesus was going to be taken away from them right then and there and that God was angry with them for not listening. Remember how God said, “This is my Son. Listen to Him!”

When we are right where we need to be in our Christian walk then we are able to hear God more clearly. We are able to notice God’s presence in our life! And we are able to see as God wants us to see because of the bright light of Jesus Christ! So let me ask you again, are you right where you need to be in your walk?

God has a master plan for each of us and staying in His will for our life means He will guide our every step. But we must listen, trust, and follow His guidance. When we can do that then we know we are right where we need to be, just like Peter, James, and John were and we can experience Jesus in a newer and deeper way. When we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with the Lord then God will have us right where we need to be in order to do His will and live for Jesus Christ.

Think back upon your life and consider all of the places you have been. When I do that I can’t help but think about my life before and after giving my life to Christ. I then think about how God had me in different places so people could help me and so I might be a help to others. In the past 8 years I have been blessed to travel to different parts of the world on mission trips and again I think about being right where God wants me to be. The Ecuador mission team is presenting their trip out in the warehouse service today like we did in here a few weeks ago and I believe all 11 of us felt like God had us right where He wanted us to be for Him, for the people we served, and for us as well.

You see, when we trust God enough and allow Him to lead us where we need to be, then not only can we make a difference in the world around us, but we also will be blessed. Remember Peter’s words to Jesus in our Luke scripture reading this morning? “Master, it is good for us to be here!”

This is my prayer for you today and everyday! I pray that when you step into this sanctuary each Sunday that you would say, “Lord, it is good for me to be here!” When you attend committee meetings here at the church I pray you would say, “Lord, it is good for me to be here!” When you are at your work place or your school and you have an opportunity to witness your faith to someone that you will praise and thank God by saying, “Lord, it is good for me to be here!” And anytime you find yourself right where you need to be I pray that you thank God for the opportunity to serve Him! Are you right where you need to be?