"Windows of Opportunity" - Luke 9:28-36 - February 22, l998

One evening last week, my wife and I were driving home from Dayton. It had been raining most of the day and the sky was partially clearing. Off to the Northeast was a rainbow. It was faint at first, but the more we drove the brighter it became. It was spectacular, the colors, deep and brilliant. The rainbow extended into the heavens and down again. It struck us with wonder and awe, as it seemed to be getting closer and brighter.

Was it a sign? Did it have some special meaning or significance? I really don’t know. What I do know is that for a short period of time we witnessed an event that was not man made. You couldn’t help but acknowledge the infinite power of God. It reminded me of Noah and the covenant God made. It reminded me of my smallness in relation to God’s greatness. It also reminded me that God has ways of warming our hearts and illuminating our minds in extraordinary ways.

This is what happened that day on the mountain. Jesus was transfigured before his disciples. Luke tells us that "the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white." Jesus was portrayed like he had never been portrayed before, in transcendent glory. What this gave to the disciples was a glimpse of the eternal. It was God’s way of showing them that Jesus could and would rise to the heavens and be forever glorified.

This was a unique and incredible experience that was not like their daily walk with Jesus. They had witnessed miracles and teachings and acts of love, but this moment has special significance. And in that moment God tells the disciples to "listen to him," the one who had brought comfort and hope. It was a rare moment for the disciples. There were only two other times that anything close to this profound experience happened; when Jesus was baptized and when he appeared after the resurrection then vanished from their sight.

Moments like these are times when God gets our attention. They connect us with the eternal, the infinite glory of the creator. For the disciples there was a message as they were instructed to "listen." They also remind us that God is very close and more importantly, still in charge of the universe.

We all want to experience the closeness of God. There is a common falacy, however. Some think that you must have frequent moments of ecstacy or be on some sort of emotional high to be aware of God's presence. Notice it was Jesus who was transfigured, not the disciples. Their response to that event was to listen.

In his book, "The Heart of the Enlightened," Anthony de Mello, tells a story that illustrates the importance of listening. There was a traveler who was lost in the desert in search of water. He struggled from one hill to the other, looking in every direction but without success. He staggered onward, but his foot caught a dry bush and he fell to the ground. He laid there with no desire to continue, completely without hope. As he lay there helpless and dejected he suddenly became aware of the silence of the desert. It was totally still. As he raised his head he heard something, a faint sound of running water. The sound aroused him and he kept moving, listening to the sound of running water and he arrived at a stream of fresh, cool water.

How open are we to the everyday transcendence of God? I believe no less than the disciples. They weren’t expecting anything unusual that day. But, their journey to the top of the mountain culminated in a magical moment. And naturally, they wanted to preserve it. Peter’s response was to build a structure to hold on to this experience. You know how it is, when you have a "high" or experience God in a profound way. You don’t want it to go away. You can only cherish your glimpse of glory and go back to the valleys of life, just like the disciples did. Because, it is precisely these moments that sustain us through the rest of life.

What Peter wanted to do was put God in a box. It is human nature to contain or preserve the things in life that are sacred and meaningful. Like putting our valuable documents and precious possessions in a safety deposit box. That makes us feel secure and in control. But, what God wants us to do is listen.

We can't listen when we live in darkness, denying the presence of God or looking in another direction when God is trying to get our attention. Oh no you say, God is with me all the time. Then why do most people call on God only when they have a problem or crisis? Why do we build buildings, memorials and monuments but to preserve past emotional moments and experiences? We do this to be in control, to keep God near by and call upon God like we would a Jeanie in a lantern.

When extraordinary revelations happen like the rainbow we witnessed they are beyond our control. They are revealed as a reminder that it is God who is the transcendent one, the mysterious one, the one always looking over us who only asks us to listen. God can break through at any time. God does not live in a container.

Was there a message for me that day? Perhaps not at that moment, but in retrospect I believe there was. It was a message that my wife and I are a team and our relationship is also a transcendent one. That our life together has meaning, purpose and is not limited to this life. That we need not only listen to God but listen to one another.

These kind of revelations don’t happen very often. But, they can be a glimpse into the future. They are like a window of opportunity, a peak into the eternal, a brief encounter with the almighty. It is unrealistic to think that God will enlighten us all the time. More often, God quietly teases us with brief moments of the divine. God is more like a tiny flame than a flash of lightening. And those tiny, sporadic lights can have a powerful impact on our lives.

Nido Qubein, (Chicken Soup for the soul at Work) tells the story about a business man whose dime store prospered. But, one day he was taken ill and his life would be ending soon. He called his three adult children together and gave them this challenge: "One of you will be president of my company and to determine which one I am giving you each one dollar. Go and buy whatever you can and come back to my room and fill it with your purchase from corner to corner. The three went and spent their dollar and returned. The first bought two bails of hay. He spread them all over the room but they only covered part of the floor. The next returned with two pillows. He opened them and feathers filled the air but when they settled the room was still not full. The third one returned without anything. He said, "I went to a nearby store and got change for my dollar bill. I invested 50 cents, just like the Bible says. I gave 20 cents to charitable organizations. I also gave 20 cents to my church. That left me with a dime. With the dime I purchased a candle and a pack of matches." He reached in his pocket and pulled them out. The others looked puzzled. How would this fill the room? He lit the candle with a match then went over and turned off the light switch. The room was filled corner to corner with light. "Well done," said his father. "You shall be president of my company since you know how to let your light shine."

When we are listening to God our light is shining. We don't have to stay on top the mountain and be constantly enlightened since we are living in the valleys of life, letting our small flames of love and light shine. Too many of us want to spend the bulk of our time, feeling good, getting high, having a good time. But, it is virtually impossible to stay on top of the mountain all the time. We want to escape the boredom and headaches of life. If we choose to cling only to the beautiful, the pleasant things in life then we are not choosing to live life in its fullest. Rather we are choosing a life that can only lead to a wasteland of despair. The only way live is to embrace these moments then live our lives as we are called, serving, giving and loving, in the valleys below.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio