Preparation

I remember, when I was on my Emmaus walk, back in the fall of 2005, a specific moment in time when I felt that God was using the walk to prepare me for something. It was a realization that he was drawing me closer in relationship to him in order for me to be prepared for something in the future.

I also remember thinking (silly me) that it must be something bad. For a few moments I thought that if he were pulling me closer to prepare me for something "bad" then I would rather NOT be closer, thank you very much.

God had his way, anyway, and I believe that I am closer to God because of that walk - that I have more of a relationship with God now than I had before. My life, my experience of God, changed that weekend -- and that weekend was part of a couple of months of change.

Was God preparing me for something? I don't know. Maybe.

This Sunday in the lectionary calendar is Transfiguration Sunday. Jesus takes three of his disciples to the top of a mountain. This event happens just about a week after Peter declares who Jesus is, and it happens shortly before Jesus turns his eyes toward Jerusalem. On the mountain the disciples witness Jesus meeting Moses and Elijah -- he is changed before their eyes. The author of this sermon, called Transfigurations, says that prior to crisis in our lives -- prior to our need -- God will provide transformation. We will be given the gift of grace, and we will know that he is present -- that he does not allow us to go through crisis alone.

Jesus received the grace of tranfiguration prior to his crucifixion. Do we notice that God equips us to face whatever comes along our path? Does God prepare us? If we allow it, we enter into times of challenge with the sure knowledge that we are equipped to meet them, and that we never travel solo.

Whatever the challenge is -- whether it is crisis or a stretching of the use of our gifts for the work of his kingdom, I believe he will prepare us, and he will will travel with us. Through it all.