Daily Devotions
Peter said, to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.” Mark 9:5
Mountaintop experiences. Easter Sunday morning – Easter lilies, full choir, trumpets, a rousing message. Confirmation – white robes, special flowers, standing before the altar, public confession of faith, special Bible verse. “It is good for us to be here.”
Mountaintop experience. Near the end of His ministry Jesus takes three disciples with Him on a high mountain. Suddenly He is transfigured before them with clothes dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus, attesting that He is indeed the beloved Son of the Father, the promised Messiah. Frightened and overwhelmed, the disciples fumble for words. Peter says to Jesus, “It is good for us to be here.” No doubts about Jesus as Messiah or His power to save. Far above the mundane daily problems, privileged to bask in the presence of God Himself – why not stay?
But they could not stay on the mountain. Soon they saw only Jesus in His normal state and returned down the mountain to problems with a demon-possessed boy. Soon would come the cross. Nevertheless, the three were strengthened for the coming events.
Rejoice in your mountaintop experiences with Jesus, where you see Him clearly as exalted Lord and Savior. Relish those moments. Say without reservation, “It is good for us to be here.”
But recognize that the valley awaits, with routine drudgery and knotty problems. The cross looms ahead even as it provides for us the complete atonement for our sins. We take up our crosses and follow Him by faith, not by sight. But we are confirmed in our faith by the risen Lord Jesus, who promises a heavenly mountaintop experience that will never end.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help us to come down from our mountaintop experiences and take up our crosses and follow you. Amen.
(Devotions from “My Daily Devotion” by Dr. Stephen J. Carter, copyright 1988, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. For ordering information, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit www.cph.org.)