There is a point in a person’s life when they come to realize that Jesus is who he proclaims to be and decide to unite their lives with his.  

The disciples had been with Jesus for some time, but then something changed.  Peter, James, and John went on a hike with Jesus up Mt. Tabor and witnessed the Transfiguration.  They had believed in Him, they were even following His teachings, and then suddenly He changed before their eyes.   

“And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light.” (Mt. 17:2 RSV).

The veil of His simple humanity had been lifted.  Their friend was shining like the sun!  He was now clearly more than just a good teacher. Then they heard the voice of God announce, “this is my beloved Son…” and at that point they “fell on their faces, and were filled with awe.”(Mt. 17:5-6 RSV). Their hearts, awakened by the truth that he was the Son of God, desired to worship and be united with Him.

When the other disciples encountered Jesus, they had transfigurative moments as well. Fishermen became preachers.  Tax collectors became Saints.  A peasant girl became Queen of the Universe.  Having come face to face with Jesus the Christ, they had to decide whether to simply allow Jesus to be a part of their life or make Him the center of it.  It was their defining moment. It was the crux of their lives.

We too must have this ‘transfigurative moment’ – when we see Christ differently.  Jesus is always reaching out to us; we just need to be open.  It will be unique for everyone. Whether on a mountaintop or in the valley of the shadow of death, either way it is an encounter with the person of Jesus. An encounter of salvation!

It happened for me as a teenager on a service trip to Romania.  A speaker presented the Gospel in a way that was new to me. He helped me see that I was a sinner in need of God’s love and that I could trust him with my life. Then he invited me to make a decision to follow Christ.  I had resisted, but His love had become evident to me.  I decided to give my life to Christ, and at that moment everything changed.

You see, our transformation begins with a decision we make.  That decision comes when we see Christ transfigured before us; when we realize that there is more to him than we thought. Its then that we must ask ourselves:

• Is He really God?  
• Do I believe He really loves me?
• Will I follow?  

It is when we say yes, and humbly fall on our faces before Jesus, that conversion happens.  Like Peter, James, and John, we become disciples. Our lives are never again the same.  What changes is our disposition; our lives become about Jesus, and we cannot resist coming down the mountain to share him with our friends. Have you had your transfigurative moment?