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Lenten Devotionals

Transfiguration

Luke 9: 28-36
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 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.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

What a glorious event to gaze on Jesus’ majesty. Peter, James, and John are told point blank, no parables here, from God himself, that Jesus was his son. They see Jesus as I suppose I will see him in heaven one day. God tells them to listen to Jesus. Yet, just around they corner, they turn their backs on him.
The day starts out by going to a place to pray. I won’t encounter Jesus if I don’t set time aside for him. I am often distracted by others around me. Although Moses and Elijah are men of God, they only help to direct me to him. How often in my world do I replace God with others? Do I give more attention to someone or something other than the true King? Am I listening to what Jesus tells me? How am I responding to what I hear?
The root word from transfiguration is “transformed”. Do I allow God to transform me into his likeness? Is there a connection between what happened to Jesus that day on the mountain and what God does in me, a follower of Jesus?