Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. (Matthew 17:4 NASB)
Time is relentless. As the great old hymn says, "Time like an ever- rolling stream..." It doesn't stop. It doesn't slow down. It doesn't speed up.
We go through hard times and we want them to pass quickly. Tick Tock Tick Tock
We go through wonderful experiences and we want them to last forever. Tick Tock Tick Tock
Time respects no person or position. Time just marches on.
It is so easy to look down upon Peter. Rash, impulsive, eager Peter. The first disciple to blurt out the true purpose of Jesus. The first disciple to deny him. The first disciple to jump into the water and swim to shore to see for himself. Peter, the one who wants to capture forever the vision on the mountain of transfiguration.
"Let's stay here forever." "Let's capture this moment." "The folks at home ain't gonna believe this one!" Tick Tock Tick Tock
Time is relentless but time is also neutral. Time brings neither good nor bad. Time just is. Life is about what we do with the time we have.
Peter wants to turn the mountain into Mount Rushmore. But that isn't God's plan. This vision on the mountain isn't to be captured in booths or plaques or statues. This vision is to be captured in the hearts of Jesus and his disciples.
It is a defining moment to be sure. It defines who Jesus is. As we will see tomorrow, it draws together the beginning and the end of Jesus' purpose. As such, it will live in the hearts and memories of the disciples who will be carrying forward the mission when Jesus is no longer physically present.
This vision is for us as well. For Jesus is now the teacher, completing the work of Moses. Jesus is now the prophet and miracle worker and forerunner of the great day of the Lord, completing the work of Elijah. Jesus is God's purpose, passion and plan. And we, like Peter, James and John, are privileged to have seen for ourselves this truth come out of hiding on the mountain.
What do we do with that news? Turn it into a snapshot we can admire? No. What we do is carry it down from the mountain into the valley where we live our lives. We carry this news into our daily lives, our daily work. We live this news.
Tick Tock Tick Tock
Let us pray: Dear Jesus, you are the beginning and the end of the purposes of our lives. So often we want to go back in our lives to a time when it was easy, or skip forward through times of struggle. We long for what we don't have and thereby can't see your presence along the way. Help us be content with the now without wanting anything but to keep moving ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Used with Permission.
Pastor Kerry Nelson
covenantlutheran.org
