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It was not for rest alone that the Master took His three chosen disciples to the mountain top. It was that there they might catch a glimpse of the reality of the glory of His divine nature, for the revelation of which their daily contact with Him had been a preparation. They had seen His miracles, and had heard those wonderful words, which no man ever before had spoken; but more was needed than that they should stay there in adoration and amazed wonder. It was very necessary that they should leave their crowded days, and in the mountain’s quiet solitude contemplate the transcendent glory of His divine Person. Again, the transfiguring of His earthly form was not enough in itself. It was necessary, too, that their eyes should be opened, for without the opening of their spiritual eyes, neither could they have seen Christ’s face, nor could they have discerned the presence with them of Moses and of Elias. So, also, they had to have their ears opened, for without those opened ears they could not have heard of “His decease which He should accomplish”, nor even have heard the voice of God Himself, which said, “Hear Him” (Luke 9:28–36).
God became man in Christ, and speaks to us through Him, and we must follow Him in all obedience without asking How? or Why? But we can never hear His sweet voice until we have closed our ears to the distracting voices of the world, nor can we meet and have fellowship with Him till we desire it with our whole hearts. If we ourselves are not silent, we cannot hear what others are saying, nor can we understand them fully, unless we give them our full attention. So, to hear the voice of our Heavenly Father, we must wait in silence before Him with our whole mind and heart intent on Him; for He still reveals Himself to those who diligently seek Him. And not only this, but those who so seek will have the privilege of the communion of saints, as did those three apostles who, through their connection with Him, enjoyed the fellowship of Moses and Elias.
Nor must we seek this holy fellowship merely as a means of worldly advancement, as did those two disciples who petitioned for positions on the right and left of the King, when He should come in His glorious Kingdom (Mark 10:35–37). Contrast with this the better way of Mary, who sought not an exalted position by the throne, but was content to sit at the feet of the Lord Himself, and hear His life-giving words. So did she choose “that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:39–42).
In meditation God speaks to our hearts, but not by words, and if we humbly bring our hearts to Him, the Well-spring of all Life, He will flow into us with all the fulness of His Presence. As the spring fills the vessel placed beneath its overflow, so do the spirit and the true peace of God flow into the heart of him who makes his heart lowly to receive them.
Hugo has said: “The way to ascend to God is to descend into oneself.”
“I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15).
Hylton has these words: “Christ is lost like the piece of money in the parable, but where? In thy house, that is, in thy soul. Thou needest not run to Rome or Jerusalem to seek Him. He sleepeth in thy heart, as He did in the ship; awaken Him with the loud cry of thy desire. Howbeit I believe that thou sleepest oftener to Him than He to thee.”
So, after we have climbed into the solitude of the mountain of prayer, and have there met with Him, we are not to waste our time, as those disciples wished to do, in planning and building shelters, but, with our new-found power, we are to go back to the world of men to complete the work that has been given us to do.