May the mumbling commence!
Pray with abandon. Prayer will change you. Pray with caution. The synoptic gospels all record the transfiguration of Jesus. Only Luke notes that Jesus’ purpose for climbing the mountain was for prayer. Read from Luke chapter 9:
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen. (Verses 28-36)
Luke stands alone with his emphasis on prayer in this retelling of the transfiguration of Jesus. It is apparent that rest and prayer were needed. Luke alone records that Peter, James and John fall asleep. Hmm… Peter and James and John fall asleep while Jesus is praying. This prayer and resting episode seems to foreshadow the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane – where these same men fall asleep while Jesus earnestly prays.
Luke alone tells us what Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus about – his impending departure in Jerusalem. In the midst of their prayer, Jesus was transfigured. Jesus’ countenance was changed – much like the countenance of Moses was changed whenever he spoke with God in the Tent of Meeting. Jesus’ clothes became as white as lightning. Talk about the transformational power of prayer.
Jesus and Moses and Elijah were all powerful men of prayer. Many times Moses interceded for the people of Israel in the desert. Through the prayers of Moses, many lives were saved. And Elijah once prayed that there would be no rain until he said so. What happened? There was a drought for several years. Much power is there in the prayers of a righteous man!
And what did God say about Jesus? "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." So, there was Moses and Elijah giving encouragement to Jesus as he prepared to set his face toward Jerusalem and the painful death upon a cross that awaited him there.
Just as Moses and the people of Israel received divine manna from heaven, Jesus was receiving divine empowerment to tread the painful path of the cross. Just as the raven fed Elijah, Jesus’ spirit was being fed through prayer. Just as Elijah and Moses had found God’s presence on a mountaintop, Jesus found God’s presence on a mountaintop.
I wonder when Peter and James and John woke up in all this… I wonder what woke them up… Was it the light of the Son of God shining on them? Was it the hushed conversation between Jesus and Moses and Elijah? Regardless of what woke them, James and John and Peter saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. How did they know the men were Moses and Elijah? Perhaps they introduced themselves. Perhaps Jesus introduced them.
And Peter, speaking without thinking it through (as he was wont to do), decided this would be a good place to stay – forever. As the other men moved to leave, Peter pleaded with the other men to stay. But Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah about his departure. This mountaintop experience was the runway to something much better. The path was fraught with pain, agony and danger; but the outcome is out of this world. It is something far better than this mountaintop experience could ever provide.
We have no need to fear the radiance of Moses or Jesus anymore. We have no need to fear physical death.
May we pray for change in our appearances – our attitudes and thoughts and words and actions. May our faces be radiant with the light of God and the Son, Jesus. That light is the Shekinah glory of God!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
No comments:
Post a Comment