Listen

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them to the top of a very high mountain. He was transformed in front of them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.

Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus. Peter reacted to all of this by saying to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good that we’re here. If you want, I’ll make three shrines: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Matthew 17:1-4

Think

This story is about another “mountaintop experience” — another time in the Bible when human beings encounter the glorious presence of a holy God (this time in the form of Jesus).

For this encounter, Jesus takes some of his closest friends with him on the hike to the summit. Once more we see that God wants to be with us. God wants to help us see who God is more clearly and to understand what that means for how we live our lives on the ground.

One way that God helps us see and understand more clearly is through giving us prophets, the Bible, and ultimately God’s own self. Moses and Elijah showing up with the transfigured Jesus are a reminder that God has been present with God’s people for a long time. The stories of Moses and Elijah are stories of God seeing us, liberating us, protecting us, providing for us, teaching us, correcting us, forgiving us, and calling us to be part of this holy and glorious work in the world.

Rebecca Poe Hays

Pray

Holy and glorious God, thank you for being with me on my journey.

Help me to remember the stories about your love in the past, and help those stories give me hope and comfort today and in the future.

Amen.

Go

Your genuine faith will result in praise, glory, and honor for you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you’ve never seen him, you love him. Even though you don’t see him now, you trust him and so rejoice with a glorious joy that is too much for words.

1 Peter 1:7b-8