Father, I bow before you this morning to receive strength to stand for you throughout my day.
“… Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John, and *brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.…Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone. (Mark 9:2-8)
Jesus took his disciples up on a mountain. And Moses and Elijah, two great men, leaders of the faith appeared along with Jesus. These two men represented all the freedom from bondage of their nation, all the traditions, Laws, prophecy, and founders of their religion. Yet God overshadowed both of them, so all the disciples could see was Jesus, and God said, “This Is my beloved Son, listen to Him.”
In a similar way, after Jesus rose from the dead in Jerusalem, He did not tell His disciples to meet Him in their church building, The Temple, he told them to go and meet Him in Galilee. “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him.” (Matthew 28:16)
Galilee is a three day walk from Jerusalem! Yet again, God led them up a mountain where all they could see and all their focus was on Jesus. Jesus led them away from the Temple with its gold chalices and altars, familiar traditions, religious practices, rituals festival days, and practicing their faith “the way it always has been done” and declared “church” is now simply about me, following and imitating me.
Jesus,, last week you revealed this similar meditation to me. You are repeating it to me because you know that I tend to read and hear this message, agreeing with it, and then walk out my door living out the my faith in the same traditional and religious ways I am comfortable with. Help me today make a radical break from any form of religion I rely on and simply rely on you. Remind me that I am not called to imitate a religion, but a person, Jesus the Christ.
My family, I pray today through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, in the reading of the Gospels and prayer, your eyes will be fixed only on Jesus, and you will hear God’s voice speaking directly to you heart saying, “This is my Son, listen to Him!”
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.