²Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. ⁵Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” ⁸Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

It appears that the mystery of Deuteronomy 34:5-6 is solved. In Deuteronomy, Moses died in God’s presence and was buried, and no one knew the place of his burial. Apparently, Moses was ushered into the presence of Jesus. Perhaps conversations have been carrying on since that time. Elijah also was suddenly carried into the conversation. And they all have new clothes! Dazzling white.

Lent promises such a future for us too. We are led to the cross where the stains of sin will be forever cleansed, then to the empty tomb, and to the day of ascension of our Lord Jesus who will sit at the right hand of God the Father. Someday we will continue the conversation we have begun with Jesus here on earth in the presence of all the saints gathered before his throne.

May our prayer-conversations now be filled with humility, repentance, intercession, and peace during this Lent season of contemplation and reflection, as we await the future prepared for us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank you and praise you for your presence with us now. Thank you for the glimpses of your power and glory that you allow us to see. And thank you for the future that you have planned for us and for your broken world that you so love. Amen.

Keith Krebs is a chaplain at American Mission Hospital in Manama, Bahrain.