You are not you anymore
In the fairytale “The Hobbit,” all hobbits live very dull, docile, dreary lives. They eat six meals a day, and they love their peace and quiet. The quieter it is, the better they like it. But, somehow, one of the hobbits, named Bilbo, embarks on an adventure that takes him on a long journey to places he has never seen before. He climbs mountains, makes his way through severe storms, encounters dwarves, evil goblins, wicked wolves, enchanted elves, a fire breathing dragon and a wise, old wizard. At first, Bilbo is terrified by it all. But soon he begins to hold his own and, by the end of the tale, he is a hero, which leads the old wizard to comment: “My dear Bilbo. You are not the hobbit that you were!”
In Matthew, Chapter 17, the New Testament writer describes an awesome mountaintop experience with Jesus and three of the disciples. And by the end of the episode, the disciples are not people they once were:
... Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain ... And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light ... lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favor. Listen to him.”
In the Transfiguration Event, God’s Presence in Jesus Christ shone through to the disciples so intensely they found themselves in the presence of another world, where there is no mistaking the voice of God: “This is My Son, the Beloved ... Listen to Him!” And “when they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear”.
To the disciples who witnessed it, the Transfiguration Event was awesome -- so remarkable in fact that they didn’t want to leave when it was over. They had seen the glory of God shining through the Body of Christ.
Of course, they wanted to stay on the mountaintop to reflect and meditate on the wondrous vision.
Of course, they wanted to build a chapel to commemorate it.
Of course, they wanted to stay with Jesus in the place where they had just spent the supreme moment of their lives.
But in that supreme moment, they had heard the voice of God say, “Listen to him!” And, of course, they had to obey Jesus when he ordered them to go back down the mountain to where there were people in need. They had to go back down the mountain and minister to them.
The Lord Jesus Christ is most precious to God. Christians have no trouble at all accepting that reality. But we do seem to have difficulty accepting the fact that we are also precious to God. You and I, and members of our families, and all our friends, and neighbors – even those we consider to be our enemies. And even passing strangers. All are precious to God. Remember, in terms of our relationship with God, we are the ones who are in constant need of transformation. God is constant. God is changeless. God is always on our side and that’s awesome!