Luke 9:28-36
28 About eight days after Jesus said these things, he took
Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 As he was
praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes flashed white like
lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking with him. 31 They were
clothed with heavenly splendor and spoke about Jesus’ departure, which he would
achieve in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and those with him were almost overcome by sleep, but
they managed to stay awake and saw his glory as well as the two men with him.
33 As the two men were about to leave Jesus, Peter said to him,
“Master, it’s good that we’re here. We should construct three shrines: one for
you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—but he didn’t know what he was saying. 34 Peter was
still speaking when a cloud overshadowed them. As they entered the cloud, they
were overcome with awe.
35 Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my chosen
one. Listen to him!” 36 Even as the voice spoke, Jesus was found alone. They were
speechless and at the time told no one what they had seen. [1]
Reflection: I often wonder what it was
like to follow Jesus around the countryside. It seems like he was always on the
move. In fact, following the scripture narrative, he moved from place to place
to place each time with a different purpose. He was often called upon to heal
someone. Sometimes, he travelled
just to meet others. A lot of his ministry took place on a seemingly continuous
journeys back and forth between Nazareth and Jerusalem. That 140 plus kilometer
trek normally took at least three days.
Walking
all day can be exhausting, then mix in all the crazy things that happened. The amazing miracles, the constant
demand of people's attention, the opposition of the religious and political
leaders. It's enough to make one exhausted.
It seems
like Jesus' disciples were always trying to take a nap. Some may have even
claimed they were lazy. Considering all the traveling and adventure, it's no
wonder the disciples were tired. They usually found the most inopportune times
to take a nap. Jesus transfiguration, the feeding of the five thousand, and in
the Garden of Gethsemane come to mind. Each time, Jesus was doing something or
preparing to do something amazing. In this instance, in the middle of their
fatigue, God spoke to them. Maybe that's why it is so important that we take
time to rest and just listen to God.
Reflection Questions:
Morning: How can you find a quiet place to listen to God?
Morning: How can you find a quiet place to listen to God?
Noon: In what ways does God
give you rest?
Evening: How can you
prioritize your life to take time to listen to God, rest, and meet the
obligations of your family, church, job, and school?
Prayer: Lord, help us to find our
rest in you. Speak to us so that
we may hear your words in a way that leads us into your life.
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