Transfigure and transform

The God we serve has an awesome sense of humour.  August 6, is the day the church commemorates the transfiguration of Jesus, and it is also the day we commemorate that the British Union Jack came down and the Jamaican Black green and gold flag went up signaling to all of the world, Jamaica’s glorification and sovereignty.  

The national library says  the Independence Celebrations Committee decided that the flag should have black; yellow was then added for its brightness and then the third colour green was later chosen after lengthy debates of not having any of the Union Jack's colours represented. – no red, no white, no blue.  We sought to symbolize our divorce from Britain, which is still yet to happen  and why, because we are afraid. 

If we look at the passage from Luke 9:28-36, we will note that the disciples witnessed the change in Jesus and heard God speaking. They became afraid.

Being afraid is a normal reaction to the unknown. In Exodus 34:29-35 when the people saw Moses' transformation through his meeting with God they were afraid.  Similarly Peter James and John were terrified when they saw Jesus' transformation.  And we my friends are very often afraid to be changed, or to participate in change. We are very often afraid to live up to our own full potential. We are terrified, we are afraid of persons staying away from us.  We are afraid of losing our friends, our status, the embarrassment of slipping and having to pick up oneself of the ground.  The song says it is no disgrace. 

We know the story of Moses, how reluctant he was to speak to Pharoah and lead God’s people.  We know the story of our ancestors who resisted slavery and oppression with the several slave revolts- the Morant Bay rebellion being most notable for us.  Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley, our early leaders fought verbal battles to make us a sovereign nation.  Neither of these men and women attempted their task ‘willy-nilly’.  They did so with confidence and belief that what God had set in motion, could be achieved if they put their hearts and hands to it. 

On this day that speaks to transformation, of change brightened by the presence of God, to what do you want to be transformed personally? What area of your life needs God to step into it? Many times we think of transformation as a miraculous event.  Yet most times we experience transformation as a slow process of hard work, blood, sweat and tears.  Sometimes taking two steps backwards before you can make a step in the right direction. 

No matter our age, or circumstances in life, we have dreams and aspirations.  Even as we pursue our own personal goals, God also speaks to all of us, directing and guiding us to be transformed and to transform others.  Sometimes things aren’t happening as we want it. But friends many times it is because we are still resisting.  We are not listening to the voice, nor are we opening our eyes to what God is doing.  Jeremiah says God is doing a new thing.  Lamentations 3 says every day new mercies come our way. We see the glorification and we hold back. We are afraid. 

What do I mean by glorification? It means living a life that reflects God's character and will. It is not anticipating some thing in the future living in the present in a way that shapes your actions in a Jesus shaped way.  And there is a joy to it.

Peter says we have the prophetic message.  This is not a message of foretelling futures. Its not the message of the 'reader' woman or man. It is the message of what God is doing and what God can do for us. It is not a message that humans can interpret, but one given by the Holy Spirit as God speaks it to us as individuals and a community of faith.    God does not have to say the same thing to each of us, because we each have a different function to perform making the kingdom of God come into being.  If we listen closely we will hear it showing us, pointing us, telling us what to do.  The bible says when you hear it do not harden your hearts.

Opening oneself to what God is saying allows us to say as the psalmist says “The Lord is great in Zion; he is high above all peoples. God is supreme and what God says we are to do, we must do it.  Listen to what your heart is telling you and follow it. As Christians we work for God’s kingdom. Just like how our houses are always clean, so we ensure that God’s house is clean.  Both the physical church and the temple of our bodies. Not only that because we know it is a place where peace and joy can be found, we invite others into this peace and joy,  but we must be open, we must listen. We must not be terrified to do. 

We have a way of doubting ourselves.  But like Moses God shows us how to do what God wants done.  God never leads us to anywhere where God will not support us.    The lesson from 2 Peter chapter 1 says besides carrying the message, we are witnesses.     We have seen God at work. Even if we refuse to acknowledge that God is active in our lives, we see others thriving.  We see God working in their lives. We need to be open, look and allow God to work in ours.  The hymn says Finish, then, thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see thy great salvation Perfectly restored in thee; Changed from glory into glory Till in Heav'n we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise!

Changed from glory into glory. God doesn’t call us to be in the same place but to grow into deeper relationship with him, which makes us more Christlike and able to draw others to God.  Many times we do not know what to say. We do not have the vocabulary to express ourselves, but if in our small way we just say come with me, we may have the confidence to change and to be the change we want to see.  Let us then friends as Peter says be witness to the message which we hold as God is speaking and we are listening.  May we seek to transform lives as we transform ours until we take our place seated with God. Amen