Good morning. It’s Wednesday, April 30th—the last day of the month! In today’s reading, we come across a moment where Peter starts talking, and before he can finish, heaven speaks. God cuts him off mid-sentence. It’s not a correction—it’s a clarification. And in it, God gives them the 11th Commandment.
Today's Reading:
2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalm 68; Matthew 17
Scripture
“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!”” (Matthew 17:5 NIV)
Observation
Peter meant well. He really did.
Jesus is glowing. Moses and Elijah appear. Overwhelmed, Peter blurts out: “Let’s build something!”
And then—God interrupts him.
Not to rebuke, but to redirect. Not to shame, but to silence the noise so something greater could be heard.
“This is My Son… Listen to Him.”
It’s the only time in the Gospels the Father speaks directly to the disciples—and it sounds a lot like a command. Not a suggestion. Not a devotional thought for the day. A clear, divine imperative.
It’s the 11th Commandment.
Application
If the Ten Commandments were about how to live with God and others, this one is about how to follow the One who fulfills them all.
It’s about:
- Discernment in a noisy world
- Slowing down when I want to speed up
- Letting go of my plans to hear His
- Responding to God’s voice, not just quoting it
Peter wanted to build. But the Father said: “First, listen.” And that’s where I often go wrong. I move too fast. Speak too soon. I try to build before I’ve bowed.
But if I don’t listen to Him, I’ll listen to everything else—and still miss His voice.
Maybe the 11th Commandment is the one I need most today—because it helps me live out the rest.
Prayer
Jesus, help me not just to hear—but to listen. Quiet the noise. Slow my reactions. Let Your voice be the loudest in my life. Today, I choose to obey the simplest and often hardest command: Listen to Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
—Chris Kiriakos