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

“Did Jesus become somebody else?” That was a response given once when I read this story to a class of kindergartners. They heard this story of Jesus’ transformation as a person changing and becoming someone else, like a Transformer toy. I did some serious scrambling for an answer that I’m sure made no sense to the children.

So just what does it mean to be transformed in the Spirit? It could be a lot of things. What I do know is this: you are who you are, a child of God, created and loved. As we encounter the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, we aren’t changed from who we are into a whole new being, instead we are freed to let our God-loved self shine — and shine like the sun.

Jesus was always Jesus. We are always who God created us to be. It’s through our encounter with the Spirit that we can recognize it in ourselves and live our best life for God’s glory.

Kris “Bubba” Brammer

Pray

Creator God, you know me by name. You know me better than I know myself, because it is you who made me. Help me to remember this day in all that I do and in all that I encounter, that I am yours, that I am your beloved. Amen.

Go

Go climb your mountain and see that God is holy!