Encountering God’s Transformation

In what ways do we need God’s transformation in our lives? How are we transformed? What does transformation look like in the life of the follower of Jesus?

The transfiguration of Jesus can teach us a lot about transformation. As Jesus came into the presence of God the Father, he radiated with the glory of God. Jesus was transfigured. Jesus was transformed.

Luke’s Gospel account tells us, “Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.” (Luke 9:28-29, ESV).

When Jesus turned his face towards God in prayer, his face and his appearance was transformed by God’s glory.

When we come into the presence of God we are changed. When we encounter God, we are transformed. When we come into God’s presence and see the face of Jesus, we are transformed. When we come into God’s presence and see the face of Jesus, the people we come in contact with come into God’s presence and can see the glory of Jesus in our face, like the disciples at the transfiguration.

The Book of Exodus tells us, “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.” (Exodus 34:29-30, ESV).

Moses was also transformed in the presence of God when he met with God to receive the Ten Commandments.

When we encounter God, we are changed. We are transformed. When we encounter the living God people take notice that we have been with God and are transformed because of the encounter.

When we are transformed by being in the presence of God, others are impacted and can see Jesus in us and through us. When we are transformed, other people can be transformed as well through the radiance of God’s glory which shines through us as we are transfigured.

May we be transformed in the presence of Jesus, and may we make Jesus known by reflecting the light of his glory into the darkness of this world.

A Collect for the Last Sunday of Epiphany: Transfiguration: “O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).

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