Transfigured

“And as Jesus was praying, THE appearance of His face was ALTERED, & His clothing became dazzling white. And BEHOLD, two men were talking with Him, Moses & Elijah, who appeared in GLORY & spoke of His DeparTure, which HE WAS about to AccomPlish at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:29-31)

For that one fleeting moment, Jesus looked how we would expect the Son of God to look: dazzlingly bright, standing in a cloud with Moses and Elijah while the Father's booming voice commands that we listen to Him. It's not surprising that Peter wanted to stay there. He didn’t know what he was saying because he didn't understand what Jesus would accomplish at Jerusalem, what His "departure" would be. He didn't understand the necessity for Jesus to give up His throne in heaven, His glory, in order that we all might be transfigured.

"The Head of Christ"
by Warner Sallman

Orthodox Jewish Man
Origin Unknown

Peter didn't understand that this beautiful, dazzling Messiah had to die a sinner's death. Who would? Except for this single moment in time, Jesus, the Son of God, looked like an average Jewish Arabic man: dark skin and eyes, short black hair with long sideburns and an untrimmed beard. He probably looked more like the man to your right than the westernized version we're all so familiar with, for whatever it's worth (practically nothing). Peter wanted to stay on that mountain because there was the God he expected. There was the God we all expected. We do not expect a God, certainly not thee God, to become one of us, indeed worse than any of us as He took all the sin in all the world onto Himself, and die for us.

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)

I don't look saved. Inside or out. I don't feel like an heir to the Kingdom of God. I don't look like someone the Son of God would die for, someone God the Father would give His only Son for. I don't feel like someone God loves, most of the time I don't act like someone God loves, and I don't expect Him to love me.

Expectations are rarely met, and while most often their misses leave lingering disappointment, this missed expectation leaves joyful awe. I am someone God loves, whatever I feel or look like. You are someone God loves. But for the time being, our true baptized selves are hidden in rags of our own: a body that's ravaged by crosses just like Jesus' was. Because He was ravaged, we too will be transfigured into dazzling bright, beautiful people of God one day and for good, but like Peter did, we have to wait a little longer before we can stay in that heavenly cloud.

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Suggested verse to repeat if it's a difficult day is from Romans 5:6b

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

"Christ died -------> 5 count inhale

for the ungodly." -------> 5 count exhale