Day Twenty Four: My Kind of Crazy (Matthew 17:1-9)

“Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone.
 
As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.
 
Peter exclaimed, ‘Lord, It’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’”
 
Matthew 17:1-4, NLT
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Y’all. I think I’m becoming borderline obsessed Peter.
I mean SERIOUSLY.
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Fiery, unpredictable, headlong, real, raw.
This guy was unreal.
 

You would think that the Son of God would surround himself with some guys who had their lives together. But no, not Jesus.
 
He gathered together a misfit crew of blue-collar fishermen, average tradesmen, a shady tax collector and a revolutionary and called it a day.
 
Including Peter.
Crazy, crazy Peter.
 

You know what I think?
I think Jesus saw a spark in Peter
I think that the thing that everyone saw as Peter’s weakness, Jesus saw would be his strength.
 

Because it takes a little bit of crazy to leave everything you’ve ever known for a man you just met (Matthew 4:18).
 
It takes a lot of crazy to ask a man walking on water to ask you to come walk on water too (Matthew 14:28).
 
It takes crazy to declare without a doubt that a has-been, local carpenter is the very Savior everyone has been waiting for (Matthew 16:16).
 
But what’s more, when Jesus looked at Peter He saw just the right amount of crazy it would take to spread the message of the Gospel to the world (Matthew 16:18).


Peter was passionate about Jesus.
So passionate he didn’t care what others thought of him.
 
He didn’t care if his dad didn’t understand why he left;
He didn’t care if he sunk to the bottom of the sea;
He didn’t care if he was laughed at, mocked and exposed;
Peter wanted to experience Jesus more than anything else in this world – every ounce of Jesus.
 

That’s why I’m not surprised to find Peter here, on the mountaintop.
One of the special, chosen three who got to see Jesus in all His glory, here on earth.
 
Why Peter? 
Because Peter was serious about Jesus.

He wanted Him more than anything else.
 
More than security.
More than notoriety.
More than blessings.
 
And when we want Jesus “more than anything else”, He makes sure we aren’t disappointed.

Peter wasn't.

I smiled when I read, “Jesus took Peter…” because I could just imagine the look in Peter’s eyes, accepted, loved and brought in by Jesus. His every hunger filled in the presence of Jesus.
 
I love God’s promise in Jeremiah 29, verses 13-14. The Message phrases it like this:
 
“’When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.’”
 
Peter walked on water, witnessed miracles, spoke to the risen Savior, preached at Pentecost, and was even rescued by an angel (among other things). He lived and breathed Jesus.
 
Phew. I’d say that’s quite a lot of excitement for an “average” guy.

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So here's my new, dangerous prayer, "Lord, make me crazy."

 
Dwelling in Him,