Today’s scripture: Luke 9:28-36 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (John Seksay):
It’s the kind of scene Hollywood loves to capture and Christian singers, traditional and modern, try to express with their music! What would it be like to not “see through a glass darkly,” but perceive the direct spiritual Power of the Presence of God and the Holy Spirit? Songs like I Can Only Imagine and It Is Well with My Soul express the longing to see beyond the veil. Our three apostles — Peter, James, and John — have just such an encounter. They are with Jesus who, while in deep prayer on a mountaintop, becomes transfigured by the surge of God’s spiritual Presence. The outpouring of divine Power is so great that Jesus literally glows with the same energy that allows Moses and Elijah to become present and carry on discourse about the coming events in Jerusalem. And the Voice of God actually speaks aloud to them!
Does this experience find them alert and taking notes and comparing details? No. Depending upon the translation you read, they were either asleep and woke up in the middle of things, or were “heavy with sleep but kept awake.” Stumbling about in amazement, groggy and poorly oriented, hardly seems the state I would want for such a cosmic event!
But a thought does come to mind. When Moses was on Mount Sinai, he asked to see God’s glory, but could only be granted the most indirect glance so that he would survive the encounter. When I consider nuclear energy, supernovas, and black holes, how close do I want to be to the source that creates and orchestrates forces of such incomprehensible magnitude? The experience would not only alter my mind, but every atom of my body beyond recognition as a physical being! Do I really want to tamper in this arena?
Yet the force that can shake the stars apart can also regulate the opening of a flower in spring, the gentle descent of rain, the fragile replication of a delicate molecule that regulates the building of our very bodies. This incomprehensible range of Capability understands well the capacity of those in its Presence. They are being shielded from being overwhelmed, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Thus they will survive, remember, and ultimately, bear witness to a truly miraculous event in human history!
When any of us pray for guidance, protection, growth, understanding — we are engaging that same wonderful Power that the apostles experienced. Maybe it’s not a bad thing when meditation and prayer sometimes induces a drowsy state. Perhaps the Potter is simply relaxing the clay so it can be safely crafted for His purpose! That’s why I pray for God’s guidance and protection during my sleep as much as during the day. Whether I’m awake or dreaming, I need to be aware of, and thankful for, God’s Witness Protection Program!
Thought for the Day: May I be ever thankful for that Masterful Hand that nurtures my soul in more ways than I can readily comprehend! Am I open to more personal transformation today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9La_4svq8JIWe encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.