Are you Listening?

Luke 9:1-36

The transfiguration is a fun account to try and imagine in my mind’s eye.  What must it have been like to see Jesus in all His glory?  It’s really hard to put into words.  Radiance, magnificence, gloriousness, grandeur, and holiness are a few words that come to mind, but I’m afraid we’re all a little limited when it comes to grasping what it must have been like.  It wasn’t exactly Peter, James and John’s finest moment; especially Peter.  For starters it seems they all took a nap when they were supposed to be up on the mountain praying.  That’s not the last time they will do that.  And then Peter wanted to preserve the moment forever.  He wanted to commemorate having Jesus Moses and Elijah all up there at the same time.  I guess once he came to, this became a mountain top experience that Peter didn’t want to end.  But here’s the deal with mountain top experiences, they always end. 

As Christians we can sometimes be like Peter.  We can look back on times of great worship and times when we felt really close to God, and we can romanticize them and want to hang on to them.  And while it’s good that we have these times, I really believe it’s not when we are the most effective for God.  We primarily serve God in the valleys of life.  Sometimes it’s even in the trenches.  I think that’s exactly where He wants us.  Jesus said in vs. 23 to 26, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?  There are a lot of sacrificial sounding words in there.  It doesn’t sound very mountain toppy.  But that’s where God wants us, taking up our cross, denying ourselves, and following Him.  Sometimes we will follow Him to the mountain tops, but a lot of it will be in the valleys, but that’s okay because He is with us all the way.  He’s the Good Shepherd that comforts us even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death as the 23^rd Psalm tells us. 

We’ve got some strong words today from Jesus about taking up our cross and following Him.  Now I’ll leave you with the words of the Heavenly Father at the transfiguration; “Listen to Him!”

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father help us to listen to Your son Jesus and deny ourselves and follow Him in all things.  Help us not to become sleepy and complacent in our faith, and may You restore our souls with the joy of Your salvation.  Amen.