New Morning Mercies #162

If you are in Christ, you’ve been chosen to transcend the borders of your own glory, to reach out toward a greater glory—the glory of God.

They were glory-confused, and because they were, they were also glory thieves. They desperately needed a life-changing glory display, and did they ever get one!

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. (Matt. 17:1–8)

In order to rescue his disciples from their bondage to their own glory and their addiction to all the shadow glories of the created world, it was necessary for Jesus to reveal a greater, more transcendent glory. So in one of the most incredible scenes in all of the biblical story, Jesus pulled back the curtain and showed them his glory as the one and only Son of the Most High God. It was a jaw-slackening, heart-stopping, mind-blowing display of divine glory. If they had any sense at all, it would put holy awe—holy terror—in their hearts. Enough of the small glories they had been living for, enough of the small-minded plans they had made for their lives, and enough of their lack of recognition of what they had been called to—Christ’s transfiguration was designed to be for them a moment of life-changing transformation. They were being rescued from earthly glory by true glory so that they could take this glory around the world to whoever would listen and hear. There were no thoughts of the petty concerns of life in this moment; no thoughts of personal dreams; no thoughts of personal power.

Here is what life is all about. At its center is a God of awesome glory—glorious in power, wisdom, faithfulness, love, and grace. Here is what everyone needs—rescue by this glory. Here is what everyone was created for—to live for this glory. Here is grace—that God would choose to splash his eternal glory down on inglorious, unthankful, rebellious, and self-oriented people such as us. The fact that Jesus revealed his glory to the disciples wasn’t based on the beauty of their character. No, the opposite was true; it was based on the glory of his character. He reveals his glory to us because if he doesn’t, there is simply no hope for us. Without this rescue, we surrender our hearts to bondage, to a thick catalog of other glories. This moment is a moment of gorgeous grace, just the grace you and I need.

For further study and encouragement: Luke 9:23–36