Mark 9:1-8 (NLT)
Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”
Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.
Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.
Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.
Although not the first time the problem had arisen, it was magnified in this glorious moment. And yet again, our beloved hero Peter is in the middle of it.
“Peter interrupted, “Rabbi, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials- one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking, stunned as they all were by what they were seeing.” (Mark 9:5-6, The Message).
In the midst of this historic, supernatural, heaven-collides-with-earth moment in which Jesus is transfigured into his heavenly self and representatives of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) stand in attendance, Peter preempts the move of GOD and essentially says, “Let’s build something- a shelter, a sanctuary, anything!- to mark the occasion.” Now, before we castigate Peter for his chronic ineptitude, let’s look at ourselves.
Although not universal, many of us in the church do exactly what Peter did in this case. We experience a move of GOD. We are uplifted, encouraged, inspired. And rather than savoring the moment with him, basking in his presence, sitting still in his sublime spirit, we instead run to start a new ministry or resurrect an old one or start a building fund. Rather than hearing GOD declare, “This is my son, marked by my love. Listen to him.” (verse seven, The Message), we’re already in action doing. When the best thing to do in such a situation is just being. Soaking up the Savior. Reveling in the Redeemer. Loitering with the Lamb. Waiting on the Way. Travailing in the Truth. You get the picture…
Because as the light of the experience lingers, we’re left “seeing nothing but Jesus, only Jesus.” (verse eight, The Message).
Application: The next time (maybe even today) you encounter GOD in a very real, personal, profound way, rest in it. Enjoy the moment. Don’t worry about what to do. Just be in his presence.
