THEY SAW HIS GLORY (Transfiguration of our Lord)
Saturday, 6th August 2016
Luke 9:28-36 (NKJV)
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.
33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.
35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”
36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
In 2009, while I was on admission at the trauma emergency ward of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, a boy was rushed into our ward during one of the nights. He had sustained such severe burns all over his body that we thought he would not survive. The following morning, something spectacular happened. The boy started speaking. As he spoke, we noticed that he was engaged in conversation with a voice we could not hear. From his words, we realised that he was discussing with the Lord. We heard him applaud the splendours of heaven and pleading to be allowed to stay there.
Such were the experiences of Peter, James and John at the Transfiguration of our Lord. “… They saw His glory…”, and were so amazed that they didn’t feel like leaving the mountain. This is just a foretaste of the glory God has in store for those who love Him and diligently seek Him. “For eye has not seen, nor ear heard … the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Stay focused and the glory shall be yours because we shall see Him by and by.
Thought: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure”. (1 John 3:2-3).