Listen

About eight days after Jesus said these things, he took Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes flashed white like lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking with him. They were clothed with heavenly splendor and spoke about Jesus’ departure, which he would achieve in Jerusalem. 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.

Luke 9:28-32

Think

A few years ago, I was hiking with my wife in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. It was a cloudy, misty day on the top of the mountain, but we could still enjoy views of God’s creation. At the top, we noticed a hiker who was hiking the Appalachian Trail. When he was near us, the clouds parted and revealed a beautiful rainbow across the sky. We were all moved by this glorious sight, and the hiker was crying tears of joy.

It is not surprising that God often meets people on the mountain.

God met Moses on a mountain. God meets Jesus and a small group of his disciples on a mountain. This is probably because you don’t end up on top of a mountain by accident. You have to prepare. You have to plan. You have to hike. Doing something intentional can open us to an unexpected encounter with God—an encounter that changes us and stays with us when we eventually go back down the mountain.

Kyle Caudle

Question to Ponder:

What steps am I taking to prepare for an encounter with God?

Pray

God, as you met Jesus and his disciples on the mountain, meet me in this time of prayer. In my coming and going today, surprise me with your grace. Amen.

Go

Wherever you go, God is still present.

Wherever you look, God’s light still shines.

Wherever you listen, God is still speaking there too,

Inviting you to change from the inside out,

Showing you that you are made to shine.