I enjoy learning about people’s experiences with God that go beyond head knowledge and into personal encounters. I think about Starr Daily, a hardened criminal who had a life-changing experience with Jesus. Even though he still had 10 years left of a 20-year sentence, he used those remaining years and the rest of his life to glorify God. All this happened because of one powerful encounter with the Lord.
Rufus Moseley, a friend of Starr Daily, also had a profound encounter with God. Moseley was a friend and advocate for poor Black residents of Georgia during the Jim Crow era. Even though he had access to President Teddy Roosevelt, he felt most at home advocating for the abolition of the death penalty, which was aimed primarily at Black men in Georgia.
My friend Bill Beachy was a medical doctor during World War II. After the war, he attended seminary and started a ministry to pray for the sick. He believed that witnessing healing was seeing God in action, and connecting with God this way was transformational for him.
Take a moment to think about the most profound experience you’ve had with the Lord. I hope it goes beyond just knowing Bible truths and listening to sermons. How have you seen His work in your life?
Today, let’s look at a powerful experience of seeing Jesus in all His glory. After Jesus told His close followers that He was bound to be arrested, killed, and raised from the dead in Jerusalem, He told them that they would “see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28).
Jesus’ Glory Revealed
Jesus had to veil His glory to fulfill God’s purposes through Him. Much like the experiences of the three men I wrote about above, Jesus took three of His disciples and revealed His glory to them.
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him (Matthew 17:1-3).
Rudy Ross shares an excellent insight in today’s YouTube video. He points out that Moses and Elijah are two witnesses from the old covenant, while the three disciples are witnesses to the new one. All five testify to the supreme identity of Jesus.
One notable aspect of this experience is how God chooses to involve humans in His work. This is one of the most sacred events in God’s plan for the ages. Still, He doesn’t want to do it alone; He wishes to involve human, fallible individuals.
The same is true for the men I mentioned earlier, as well as for people around the world. God invites us into a relationship with Him, allowing us to join in His redemptive work.
Peter’s Good Idea
You know the saying, “Not every good idea is a God idea.” This was the case with Peter, who didn’t know how to respond to what was happening.
Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4).
We can only speculate about what motivated Peter’s words, but we can learn from this to stay silent in the presence of the revelation of God’s glory. We’ve all likely experienced “holy ground” moments. Whether they are times of great joy or profound sorrow, the best we can do is remain silent until the Holy Spirit directs our words.
Just as at Jesus’ baptism, God spoke an affirming word about His Son.
While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5).
Peter and the other disciples may have found it inconceivable that God’s Messiah would suffer at the hands of religious people dedicated to God’s purposes. This voice from heaven should have convinced them otherwise.
It should not surprise us that after Starr Daily and Rufus Moseley had their dramatic experiences of God’s presence, they both suffered persecution. Daily had ten more years to serve in a very harsh prison, and Moseley suffered a psychological incident that required him to be institutionalized for a time.
Peter, James, and John all witnessed the transfiguration of the Son of God, but they also suffered the same rejection as their leader.
Reflections
One of the greatest choices we can make is to pursue the deepest relationship with the Lord that He deems appropriate for us. I agree with the man who prayed, “Lord, please give me everything that Jesus died for me to have.”
We shouldn’t misunderstand what it means to partner with God. Living aligned with God’s will for our lives is always the best course of action; however, it is not a guaranteed path to an easy life. When hardships come, we can remember the close encounters God has granted us to encourage us to remain faithful to Him and His agenda.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 