Read Exodus 24:12-18. As Moses prepares to head up the mountain, I notice he does two things: he takes a trusted friend, and he does what he can to leave things in order before he goes. He knows he can’t go through whatever the mountain has in store for him alone. And he knows he can’t control what happens when he’s gone, but he can give his people the tools they need to manage the problems that may arise. It seems to me that this is what allows Moses to fully enter into the experience of meeting God on the mountain.
When you have something ahead of you that brings feelings of uncertainty or maybe even fear, how do you prepare? If you could only choose one person to go through it with you, who would it be and why? Would you consider yourself a micro-manager or a delegator? What can you learn from Moses in this story?
In prayer, consider something difficult that you are facing or will be facing soon. Ask God to surround you with people who will walk with you, for a heart that trusts others to step in and help where they can, and for the wisdom to be fully present to whatever happens, good or bad.
Read Psalm 99. This is one of what are called the “enthronement psalms”. These place God in a kingly role far and above earthly kings, powerful over all earthly rulers. According to the psalmist, the appropriate response to this is unreserved praise and such a strong feeling of awe that it leaves you feeling shaky. In recalling the story of God’s interaction with Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, we are reminded that we, too, have a part in the story of God’s people. In the same way none of these men got it right all the time, neither will we. But that didn’t keep them from calling on the name of the Lord. They knew it was in God’s nature to forgive, but there was an accountability piece to it too.
I don’t subscribe to the idea that God doles out punishment for our sin. Like a good parent, though, God does allow us to experience the consequence of our choices. If God prevented any negative outcomes of our bad behavior, there would be no learning, no growth, and little appreciation for the joy that comes with a fresh start and second chance. There would be no understanding that living in harmony with God’s will for the world lends itself to a sense of peace and balance and being grounded.
Offer a prayer of confession, and marvel at the enormity of what God can and will forgive.
Read 2 Peter 1:16-21. In this passage, the writer seems to be responding to those who have been critical of the apostles’ insistence on Jesus’ second coming. The apostles were being accused of using the idea of Jesus’ return as a way to scare people into behaving a certain way – in the same way many parents will tell a misbehaving child, “Santa is watching!” The author, claiming twice to be an eyewitness to Jesus’ transfiguration, is saying that’s not what it’s about. God, speaking from the cloud, was pleased with Jesus, not because he hadn’t been caught doing bad things, but because he had been caught doing all the right things. He welcomed the stranger, made room for those were not welcomed, fed hungry people, loved the unlovable, stepped between the bully and the bullied, and called the religious folks to examine their own hearts before they concerned themselves with the sin of others.
When Jesus comes again, what do you hope he catches you doing? How might the idea of being caught living a life of faithful discipleship vs. not getting caught doing something bad shift the way you anticipate Christ’s second coming?
Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus’ example of a life that is pleasing to God and commit yourself to patterning your life after his.
Read Matthew 17:1-9. The temptation in reading this story is to stand and marvel at the image of Jesus, shining and glorious, revealed as the beloved Son of God. If you’ve ever had an experience – whether it was in an especially powerful worship service or beautiful music performance or a breathtaking view of nature – in which you were overcome by a sense of awe at the wonder of God, you know what these disciples must have felt like.
Jesus allowed them their moment, but then he quietly touched them on the shoulder and told them it was time to head back down the mountain. Fortified and strengthened by their time on the mountain, it was time to be about the business of building God’s kingdom, where healing and insight and welcome could be found in Jesus’ presence. I can imagine they would have drawn on the power of this experience when they faced the horror of Jesus’ arrest and death, and the uncertainty of the days that followed.
What have been some of the most powerful experiences that have filled you with an overwhelming sense of praise and worship? As you left that experience, what did you carry with you? Has it had any lasting impact on your ability to live a life of faith and discipleship? When might it be helpful to revisit that experience in your memory?
Today, spend some time with your eyes closed, remembering a powerful experience of worship and praise. Think about what your senses took in – what you saw, heard, smelled, tasted, touched. Imagine Jesus there with you. Take in a deep breath and tell him thanks.