Focus
Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.
Read
Matthew 16:21-17:8
21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
17 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
Reflect
The Old Testament references abound in our scripture today. Think of Moses and Joshua on Mount Sanai. We see in the transfiguration the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Ultimately what we see here is the incarnation reversed for a brief moment. The disciples knew Jesus as a human. Peter was able to grasp that Jesus was the Messiah, the son of the Living God, but now they experience, like only a select few before them, the true glory of the eternal God. Jesus Christ became a dazzling white light. As the contemporary hymn says, “I can only imagine.”
Peter, being the person that he is, drinks it in. He is literally caught up in glory, and he never wants to leave. Think about it, this is a living preview of Revelation 22. So, he speaks up, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents…” But he is interrupted by God, who says, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him, I am well pleased; listen to him!”
Peter might just be close to understanding Jesus now. Earlier in the text, Peter wanted Jesus to be king and receive glory, so he rebuked Jesus for talking about suffering and death. But now Peter sees what true glory awaits Jesus, and again he wants to bask in it, not only for himself but for Jesus. There is not much sweeter than seeing someone you loved glorified and honored. God tells Peter to listen to Jesus, not to get caught up in the glory, but to listen and do what Jesus says. Ultimately, the way to glory is through the cross. They couldn’t stay on the mountain. They had to go down to the valley, but after obedience in the valley, they would ascend higher than the mountain. They have now had a divine taste of the glory that awaited them.
We are tempted to rest in times of glory when it comes, and why not? I am sure that you experience glorious times far too infrequently. But God has work for us to do, and the good news is that when we are done with the hard stuff, God has more than we could ask or imagine in store for us.
Pray
Dear Lord, help me to set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. Help me to see your glory and while I work down here on this earth, let me be inspired by the good things to come. Amen.
Go with God.
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