Saturday 26 October, 2019

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 an incredible scene. A moment where the divine glory of the Son of God breaks through the veil of his humble human nature. But a moment Peter, James and John almost missed!

Very sleepy, probably because of the rigorous ministry of Jesus, and possibly because it was early morning (often Jesus got up early to pray), the disciples were almost sleeping through an incredible encounter.

As he wakes enough to realise the moment he’s in, Peter is awkward and rushed. I bet he was just a little distracted by Moses and Elijah. Thinking to himself, “man, I have only read about these guys; what if I can actually talk to them…oh, the questions I can ask them.” Poor Peter had no real idea what was going on though.

Then comes the moment that trumps them all – God comes to them all and says, audibly, “guys, Jesus, my son, is the chosen one, give Him all your attention.”

Surely it was a not so subtle correction of Peter, who was getting all excited about Moses and Elijah, but had not yet fully realised that Jesus, his suddenly glowing teacher and companion, was far greater than both of them together. But God graciously, and wonderfully, redirects Peter’s zeal.

I may sometimes be literally or metaphorically very sleepy; I may find myself with more than a bit of misdirected Zeal. But God takes gracious and wonderful care to constantly keep my focus on Jesus. He alone has the words of eternal life, and He alone can bring about my destiny.

God, no matter what the moment in my day, or week, no matter how glorious or mundane, help me to heed what you told the disciples; that Jesus is the one I need to have my constant attention set upon.

Written by Ps. Rob Waugh