“About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.31 They spoke about his departure,[a] which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)” Luke 9.28-33
Do you think that if we could see ourselves during prayer in the spiritual realm, we would look like Jesus as described in this passage? “As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” (Luke 9:29)
Was Jesus transformed into a “spirit” man in order to meet with the deceased prophets Moses and Elijah? How might we explain this otherwise? They could not be brought back to life, but He could enter the heavenly realm and somehow meet with them in the “in-between.”
I know the main point of this passage is to affirm Jesus as Messiah, but I can’t help wondering what happened to Jesus during this particular time of prayer that transformed Him into looking like an angelic, heavenly being. And what impact can—or should—this have on our own prayer lives? Can we too enter into a glorious state during prayer (and worship)? Are we already there, yet unable to see it?
The point of prayer is not to look like an angel—I know that—but to connect with the Lord. Think about when Moses met with God on Mount Sinai: when he came down, his face was glowing. Although Elijah had some dramatic moments in the Bible, there is no account of his face glowing. He was asked to hide his face, however, when the presence of the Lord “passed by.” Otherwise, perhaps he would have come away with a radiant face—if he survived the encounter!
My focus in this reflection is that when Jesus met with God, His appearance changed. He was transfigured. And when Moses and Elijah appeared, they did so in “glorious splendor.” The transformation for normal humans (excluding Jesus, who is fully God and fully man) happens when we meet with God—when we commune with Him, worship Him, meditate, pray, or study His Word. When we meet with God, we are slowly transformed into His likeness. And if we had spiritual eyes to see, perhaps our faces would glow as well.
The point? Meet with God. Strive for a spirit that glows from spending time in His presence. He is here with you. His Spirit lives within all who have invited Him in, chosen to follow Christ, and accepted His suffering, death, and resurrection on the cross.
Have you chosen Christ? Why not be transformed by the living Lord—God in the flesh, Jesus the Christ?
“O Lord God, thank You for loving me. Thank You for allowing me to meet with You and be transformed by Your Spirit in prayer. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with Your power and love. I praise You, Lord, and worship Your name, for You are good and Your love endures forever.” Amen.