Luke 9:28-36 tells the story of the Transfiguration. Jesus takes three of his disciples with him up a mountain to pray. While he's there, they see him differently. Luke makes it clear that although they're sleepy, it's when they wake up properly that they they see Jesus shining bright and glorious, and realise that Moses and Elijah are there too.
One of the obvious questions is "Why did Jesus share this with these three?"
Was he equipping them with the knowledge of who they were really following? He's not just a rabbi with some good ideas, he is the glorious Son of God. Did he think they'd understand his coming death if they'd heard Moses and Elijah talking about it? Jesus explains to his disciples on several occasions that he's going to be put to death, but they either protest or just don't understand. The disciples overhear Moses and Elijah talking about Jesus' departure (literally, his exodus). Will they understand better that he is going on a journey that will lead to freedom for many? Or did Jesus take his disciples on this occasion because they were ready to see? What if Jesus was transfigured many times? What if prayer for him was always being so intimately in his Father's presence that he reflected the glory of heaven like Moses, but this was the occasion when the disciples were awake enough to see it?
Do we ever not see the glory of God because we're not awake enough? Do we think of Jesus the carpenter's son, the teacher, the crucified man, but forget about Jesus the glorious, unearthly, terrifying God the Son? Do we miss God's glory revealed in creation, not because it's not there, or because it's been somehow spoiled, but because we're walking around with our eyes closed?
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