Timing To Tell It is fortunate that they were not asked to “never mention it.” More precisely, Jesus asked, “That they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of Man were risen from the dead.” Mark 9:9. Why would Jesus make this request knowing that their hearts had been so profoundly touched through this magnificent event? I believe Jesus wanted them to store this experience in reserve for when they would really need it. Peter, James and John were chosen to be the leaders of the early Church, and when all seemed lost, and when things got hard, they could say, “Don’t be discouraged. We want to tell you about something we saw that night with Jesus on the mountain.” But sadly, it appears just when they needed it the most, they did not remember this mountaintop experience; when their Lord went to the cross of Calvary, they forgot who He was. Has God given you a mountaintop experience? Maybe God has answered prayers and worked miracles that right when they are happening, you say, “Wow, praise the Lord!” But then after the glory fades, you end up in a valley with the evil one crowding you. And the memory of what has happened on the mountaintop has all but evaporated. It’s just like when God had told the children of Israel not to make idols, and they heard the voice of God, and they felt the ground shake, and they saw fire consume a mountain. They glibly promised the Lord they would obey. Yet a few days later, they’re worshiping a golden calf. Our adversary the devil is a master at inducing mountaintop amnesia. If you give him just five minutes of your attention, he can make you forget a whole lifetime of miracles. If you entertain his suggestions and you embrace his discouragement and his doubts, all those mountaintop memories can dissipate just when you need them the most.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 14:00:47 +0000