Transformation

Luke 9:28 – 29

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.

Exodus 34:29

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

Transformation

Transformation - profoundly changed from the inside out. Moses and Jesus entered a time of prayer and what happened to them was a visible transformation – an acknowledgement that spending time with God has brought about a profound change in their earthly beings.

So – is it only Moses and Jesus who are profoundly changed in encounters with God? Or is it possible that we too experience something that changes us, spiritually, maybe even visibly, when we open ourselves to be present with God?

Have you had moments when it felt like something happened in your life that changed you – transformed you? Years ago, I remember standing on a riverbank, far above the water, talking with a group of people about a story in the Bible. Suddenly, we understood that that moment would be profound in all our journeys – that a new chapter was about to start in how we would be following Jesus. I don’t know if our faces were shining – but I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear it.

Dear God, Help us to notice and pay attention to the ways you call us into conversation with you – and help us to let those times change us in ways you call us to be changed.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Reflection Questions:

1) What do you imagine Jesus and Moses looked like in their transforming moments?

2) Think about some important moments in your faith journey. Would you say they changed you? How?

3) What helps you make space for prayer in your life now?