The following article was written by Chaplain (Capt.) Rick Cantrell of 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jackson in Columbia South Carolina.
The transfiguration of Christ is recorded in Mark 9:1-12. Peter, James and John accompanied Jesus up a high mountain. After Jesus was transfigured, Peter was so moved by the magnificence and glory of God that he said, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here” (Mark 9:5a).
Peter wanted to camp out and savor the awesome presence of God indefinitely. We too, like Peter, want to extend our mountaintop experiences with God because they do not happen often. The sobering reality is that our mountaintop experiences quickly fade away as we journey down the mountainside.
In Mark 9:9-12, Jesus, Peter, James and John made their way down the mountainside to link up with the other disciples. They immediately encountered a large crowd of people arguing over a boy who was possessed by a spirit (from childhood), that robbed him of his speech (verse 17).
The disciples were unable to help the boy because of their disbelief, conflict with the crowd, misunderstanding and spiritual impotency. All they could do was engage the crowd in a fruitless debate.
Just moments earlier, the disciples were basking in the presence of God and filled with faith and peace on the mountaintop, and now, down the mountainside, they faced evil, confusion, conflict and disbelief. It is important to note, Jesus was with the disciples on the mountaintop as well as down the mountainside.
I submit to you that it is during our everyday struggles (down the mountainside) with evil, conflict, confusion and even disbelief, that God’s presence seems to strengthen and sustain us more.
Then, when the mountaintop experiences come, we will value and appreciate them even more.
