Prepare For An Encounter With God

What would an encounter with the divine look like? I read with great curiosity stories like how Moses encountered God. The Jewish description of these experiences is often vivid and graphic. For the longest time, I have always wondered what are the common denominators between these OT divine experiences versus our own modern experiences. What’s different? Why don't we see God walking with us in the same way that He walked with Israel? For example, when Moses came down from the mountain after talking with God, his skin was shining. It’s as if the residues of God’s beauty and nature stayed on him! That would be difficult to see the same today. But we hear in the New estament that Jesus disciples were used by Holy Spirit to heal many people even by touching a handkerchief the Apostles touched. These are amazing experiences of the Holy Spirit that are part of the life of a believer. We get changed when we meet with God! How I wish such encounters with God for us! Today we remember the Transfiguration, when the appearance of Jesus' face changed. I have lots of questions about what was happening and why. Luke reports that Jesus decided to take only 3 of his disciples to go up on the mountain to pray. This in itself is not uncommon, what was to happen, was not common. Jesus wanted to teach us about his heavenly world. What better way than a glimpse of heaven? Wouldn't you like it if God were to open heaven for you for 30 seconds? to experience what it feels like to be there? I don’t know about you but I love it. Those 3 disciples saw it first-hand and heard God’s voice. Being acquainted with God’s reality is a gift from God, just as salvation is a miracle from God. We do not deserve it. It’s a pure gift from God. When our reality coincides with God’s reality, we flow into God’s purposes and will. Jesus never did anything without a clear purpose. Peter, James and John did not only see a glimpse of heaven, they also saw two OT Jewish personalities! Moses and Elijah, (representing the law and prophets). The greatest hint here is that they talked with Jesus about his upcoming exit from the world in Jerusalem. This was not like Brexit; it was THE ultimate Exit from the world, which we will all face here on earth. We will die: It’s a big lesson we learn not only on Ash Wednesday, but one that we need at all times. And it is that: Our Lord Jesus had to undergo extreme suffering which was in God’s way and purpose to bring redemption, t o redeem you, whom Jesus has loved to the point of going to the cross for you! It’s the hardest lesson that we, humans have to learn on earth: Suffering will be part of our journey, and Jesus, the Son of God, entered not in glory before he suffered pain first and was crucified. Think about this: If Suffering was on Jesus’ path, do you think we would get any easier way? No. Almost all his disciples were murdered like him. Christian believers are called to the way of the cross, which translates into the way of life and peace. Granted, the disciples were initially terrified when a cloud came and enveloped them with Jesus [glorified] and his guests from heaven, but they had to see it, and know the beauty and goodness of our ultimate destination and seeing what it looks like. I am looking forward to that destination someday. What an honor to be able to feel the presence of the Lord Almighty, perhaps not with our faces shining, but definitely with divine healings in our midst. Don’t you earnestly desire that? For God’s miracles to operate amongst us: The demonstration of God’s power in our lives. Places like here in church, we find ourselves with Jesus on the mount of the Transfiguration. It is when we allow ourselves to be changed by the presence of Jesus in our midst; to abandon our egos and our identities vested in worldly accomplishments. When my identity becomes vested in changing my inner life to reflect Jesus, that value is priceless! Being united to Jesus is what we attempt here with a life of prayer, scripture reading, Holy Communion. All this, is what prepares us well for our exit. One day, we all shall face our exit, I pray that today, we begin to prepare it well with Jesus diligently. Amen.

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