mark 9:5-8 :: the transfiguration (pt2)

i totally understand peter’s sentiment here. if i was somewhere that i could hang out with moses, elijah and Jesus in His glory, i think i’d like to set up camp there, too. i cannot imagine that leaving and doing anything else would even seem like an option.

peter, as usual, is speaking before he thinks. although staying would be nice, keeping Jesus on that mountaintop would be disasterous for the rest of us. Jesus’ coming did not happen so that He could hang out with the holy duo of elijah and moses. He wouldn’t have to come to earth to pull that one off. He came to do and to be and example and to work and to serve. standing on a hilltop removed from the very people He would soon die for serves no purpose. He might as well have never come if He was going to turn into a god on a hilltop. inaccessable, out of touch and removed from His people.

but Jesus came to walk with us, to tread out roads, to breathe our air, to feel our hurts and to love us back to God. His role was an active one, spent out and among the hurting, the poor and the spiritually stunted. His presence was needed down with the regular people who needed to hear the Good News of redemption and salvation and grace and mercy and a life lived wholly for God.

building shelters and staying on the hilltop wouldn’t be an option. compassion dictated that Jesus go back to the people after His encounter and transfiguration. so peter’s blubbered out request for a construction permit would go unheeded, thankfully, and Jesus would soon come back to us, and heal our world, taking on our sins.

So, listen to Him, this One loved by God, His very Son and see if anyone but Jesus stands before you. see if, after truly taking the time to listen to Him, if anyone, no matter their stature,  can measure up, or stand in the position of authority that God has given Him to have in your life. not even moses or elijah can distract us from Him if we open our eyes and pay attention.