The Transfiguration Part 1

Luke 9:28-32

“28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. “

I once knew a man who could not stay awake if he sat down. This problem turned out to be a disease, but until he was treated he slept through a good part of his life, and his wife and his children’s lives that he would never get back.

In several places in the gospels we read about the disciples being overcome by sleep and sleeping through important events that were happening around them.   In the scripture above, even though they were weighed down by sleep, Peter, James and John stayed awake and saw Jesus in a way they had never seen Him.

A lot of the time, we sleepwalk through our spiritual lives.  We do not take advantage of the things offered by the church. We do not read scripture or pray.  We worship with one eye open.  We do not serve others.

For us to see Jesus, we have to be intentional about our faith.  We have to stay awake spiritually.  And if we do…

we will see Him as we have never seen Him before.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)