Devotional for the Week of February 19, 2023 (Transfiguration Sunday)
Written by Krista Parnin
The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”
Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”
When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
(Exodus 24:12-18)
For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[a] We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
(2 Peter 1:16-21)After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
(Matthew 17:1-9)
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God loves each of us and seeks to be The Transforming Power in our lives. Throughout Scripture, the LORD reveals His true nature because He wants His children to deeply know Him on an intimate level. He gave Moses the Ten Commandments carved onto stone tablets, an actual “concrete” example of His values, intended as a guide for righteous living. However, as time passed and people’s choices pulled them further away from God’s true nature, He called upon prophets and others to impart His divine messages of love, salvation, and eternal life (also see Psalm 99). Eventually, God gifted the world with His One and Only Son, Jesus. During one unforgettable, intimate moment on a mountain with three of His disciples, which is referred to as The Transfiguration, Jesus revealed His true nature as God in the flesh, here to save all believers once and for all from sin and death.
Often, the most profound times of spiritual growth and transformation emerge from moments clouded by darkness, such as heartbreak, suffering, and adversity. Perhaps you can relate. For me, one such example was when I realized knowing about Jesus is not the same as making Him the Lord of my life.
Despite growing up in a Christian family, I struggled with my relationship with God during high school. Looking back on that time, I began distancing myself from Him because of the poor choices I had been making. However, what I would soon discover is God never left my side. He was present throughout that dark period.
God patiently and lovingly waited for me to draw nearer to Him, and that moment came during a Lay Witness weekend at my church. On the last day, an undeniable, overwhelming presence urged me out of the pew. Before I knew it, I knelt at the altar and prayed. In this moment of spiritual surrender, I turned my life completely over to God and made Jesus Christ the Lord of my life.
Instantly, something happened—a change. From the outside, I looked the same. However, on the inside, everything was different and new! God’s transforming power was at work in me and my life! As I prayed, a wave of love washed over me, and an immense sense of peace settled into the innermost parts of my soul.
In that moment, the heavy burden of sin and guilt, which had been weighing me down, vanished. All I sensed was my heavenly Father and me, sharing an intimate, life-changing moment. As I rose to return to my seat, I felt energized and wanted to share the Good News with everyone!
Just like when God called Moses to climb a mountain and enter a dark cloud, He calls us to confront mountains, clouds, and darkness in our own lives. In those moments, we must remember Jesus’s words to His disciples on the mountain, “Don’t be afraid.” Instead, we can boldly step out in faith and with the assurance, He promises to be there alongside us every step of the way. All we must do is keep our faith in Him and patiently wait for Him to reveal His true nature in our own lives.
Prayer:
Precious and loving God, thank you for Your Word, which reminds us of Your awesome transforming power. We know we will encounter clouds and mountains in our own lives, but help us to boldly step out in faith and with the assurance, You will be with us through it all. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
