Mountaintop Experiences

Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." -Matthew 17:4

When I went to seminary, I met a group of guys that to this day remain good friends. After we graduated, we made it a regular point to get together at least once a year for a reunion at a lake house. This was before all of us had children and/or big churches. When we'd get together, it was just like old times. We'd play darts. We'd listen to Shania Twain. We'd grill out huge steaks. We'd play NCAA football on the Sony Playstation. We'd tell funny stories. And yes, we'd even take time to study scripture and pray out by the lake. It was so much fun. I recall that on a number of occasions, I didn't want our time together to end. I didn't want to return to a world of church meetings and sermon preparation, a world of people suffering from cancer and job loss. I just wanted to stay there by that lake with those friends.

Peter had a similar experience in today's suggested scripture readings. What he encountered on the mountain was so special that he did not want it to end. Perhaps he knew what awaited him at the bottom of the mountain; perhaps he just wanted to stay and enjoy his mountaintop experience.

Jesus knew that we can't stay on the mountaintop forever (at least not on this side of eternity); we must return to the work that God has called us to do. We need mountaintop experiences, to be sure, because they breathe new life into our sails and renew us for the unfinished and important work to be done once we descend from our magical (not in a sorcery kind of way) moments on the mountain (or by the lake).

Today, I thank God for the mountaintop (lakeside) experiences that I have had, confessing that I'm ready for another one (I bet you are too), and praying that all such experiences would prepare and sustain me for the unfinished and important work ahead.

May God grant you the grace to have a mountaintop experience soon...and may it strengthen you for the important things that God has called you to do.





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Tomorrow's suggested readings: Matthew 18

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