Ask every person at the airport lined up to board a flight, "Where are you going and why?" Each will have an answer. Departures all have destinations. Purpose.
Moses knew about departures. God called him from the burning bush to lead the Israelites on their exodus from slavery in Egypt. For 40 years Moses lived in tents and picked up stakes, navigating the Israelites' journey to the promised land. He was always packing his bags to go somewhere. Departures.
And Moses obeyed God's invitation for him to go up onto Mount Sinai to meet. Moses came down from his meeting with God and his face was shining (Exodus 34:29).
Elijah knew about departures. When the Bible says "the word of the Lord came to Elijah" it then tells us that the Lord's instructions were "Leave here" (1 Kings 17:3) or "Go" (1 Kings 17:9; 18:1; 19:11,15). Departures.
And Elijah led others like Moses did. He told a destitute widow to go get him a drink of water and some bread, then told her to go home where the Lord would provide a full pantry of food that would never run out. He challenged King Ahab to go to Mount Carmel for a showdown between the Lord and Baal.
Centuries after these two men of God died and their souls departed to heaven, they miraculously appeared on another mountain with Jesus. "They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31).
Jesus had somewhere to go. Like Moses and Elijah, he obeyed the command from his Father to depart. He had a destination (Jerusalem) and a purpose (to die for the sins of all people). He'd be leaving the Mount of Transfiguration behind, the glorious appearance that his disciples wanted to linger. Departure.
And, like Moses and Elijah, Jesus leads others to go, as well. Leave your sins behind this week. Go to the cross of Jesus during this season of Lent. Recall the past but don't live in it. Step forward with faith and courage into a journey of the future where you don't know it all, control it all, or have it all planned perfectly but your Lord leads the way. Think confidently about your final departure from this earth when your soul will go to heaven.
Moses and Elijah will be there. Jesus, too.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, what was it like for you to be transfigured on that mountain? Bright as a flash of lightning, you appeared gloriously for a moment. Then it was over, and you walked down the mountain toward your suffering and death. You left glory behind for pain and sorrow. You departed. And you fulfilled a divine itinerary so that I would never be commanded by God to suffer for my sins, never face condemnation for my guilt, and never need to fear the past, present or future. Walk with me through this week, and through my life. Help me obey your commands and discern your direction. Remind me that the Christian life is a journey, a process of following you in the little and big decisions of each day. I am journeying into the season of Lent. I can't wait to meet you there again. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Read Luke 9:28-36. What are some of the characteristics and behaviors of the 5 men on the mountain with Jesus—some of them exemplary, some not so much. Meditate on these characteristics and behaviors, how they apply to your life. Pray about them and then depart to face your day with peace and confidence.
Daron Lindemann
No comments:
Post a Comment