Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Feast of Transfiguration-Glorification of our Lord
Exodus 24:12-18
 
v16-17 “The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day, he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel”.
 

Here in these verses we learn -
 

  1. Lord himself writing the laws and commandments 
  2. Divine invitation to Moses for fellowship
  3. Moses’ willingness to “climb” the mountain
  4. Lord’s transfiguration and revelation
  5. Moses unconditional faith and submission

 
The love and ownership of the Lord manifested in its greatest form when He says to Moses “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” Our Lord reveals his nature, his willingness to have communion and fellowship with his people. Here we see Lord setting the place and inviting Moses to be with him. All the Sovereign Lord expects is obedience and faith.
 
This divine invitation may require us to climb a mountain. Are we available like Moses?  If we are, Lord Almighty is with us to strengthen - spiritually, mentally and physically. We see the glory of Lord covering the mountain in the form of clouds. Moses wholeheartedly went up the mountain, covered by the cloud not even knowing when God will meet him. The only instruction Moses had was “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there”.  Moses was neither worried nor impatient. He trusted God's faithfulness. On the 7th day, God calls Moses out of the cloud and converses with him. Obedience and faith goes hand in hand, only a person with unconditional faith could be in this frame.  When we experience our mountains, trust in our Lord, believe in his wisdom and move forward. We further learn, Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. A likely prelude to the upcoming 40 years of travel for Israel in their journey to the Promised Land. This is where obedience and unconditional faith in our Lord becomes paramount. Many of us have experienced our own “climbing of mountain”. A time in life, where you were at a low, a walk seemingly always going uphill. Rest assured, Jesus is always with us while we climb the mountain. We may not always see a second set of footprints; it is because he is carrying us without being knocked down.
 
While Moses was experiencing proximity to the Lord Almighty, Israel, his chosen people in the valley were able to view and experience the glory of the Lord like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain giving them the opportunity to glorify the supreme power who dwells in heaven. In the New Testament, we see Jesus’s transfiguration and son of God revealing the might to disciples Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:1-9) and them getting awestruck.

 
PRAYER
Father God help us to be obedient, available and have unconditional faith in you. Enable us to see your glory during our life on earth and be in your eternal glory after this transitory life on this earth.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Does our Faith and Obedience go hand in hand?
 
Monish K. John, Chicago Mar Thoma Church, Illinois

Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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