An invitation for those who've discredited, discouraged, and disqualified themselves

In the past week alone, I've heard people I've been in conversation with running themselves down in one area or another.

It's always some variation of the same thing:

• "I'll never..."

• "I should've..."

• "I'm not doing a good job of..."

Do these describe you? Come with me to the summit of Mount Tabor for a few moments. And if they don't describe you? Come along anyway.

We visited there as a congregation this past Sunday, courtesy of Mark 9:1-8. Jesus was being transfigured into the spectacular visible presence of God's glory. And we remembered we could - and need - to stop regularly on that reminder. But there's something else here for you and I to look more closely at.

Consider the handful of people God saw fit to bring together, and their qualifications to be there for that incredible moment:

Peter

Often impetuous and serving as spokesperson for the other disciples (and you and me), Peter had a pretty significant denial to his name, among other face-palm moments.

James & John

In their zeal, these two had a habit of looking for their chance to be the greatest. Their ambition was ready to carry them faster than their character could sustain them. Oh, and there was that calling down fire incident in Luke 9:54.

Moses

Let's see...murder, reluctance, and a temper. I'm not sure he'd have made any list of ours.

Elijah

Powerfully confident in the Lord one moment, he succumbed to fear the next. Running himself ragged from the threats of Jezebel, he finally sat down in the wilderness and begged God to take him.

"Wow, Nathan...a little harsh, don't you think?" Probably. But no more than some of you just admitted to being with yourselves.

Knowing all this was in within of these five men, what did our Savior do? Three of them he led to the summit of Mount Tabor, and two got some kind of transport I'm reallllllly excited to see one day. Then the best part: he saw fit to host them on the mountaintop, and provide them a glimpse of God's glory.

And what was the qualification to be part of this select group in this incredible place?

He loved them.

He loved them enough to include them - even when they struggled to love themselves. And so it is with us. While we sit and brood and stare at our shortcomings, we're invited to a glimpse of the glory of God in Jesus. And you bet it's a mountaintop moment.

At the risk of repeating the sermon on Sunday: How do we get up there?

Prayer.

Prayer will get you there. It's in prayer that our sorrows, our facepalm moments, our lives, and ultimately our Savior are transfigured into the glory of God.

Go there, and then watch that mountaintop go with you in the form of the presence of Jesus.

He loves you,

Nathan