Growing up, my Dad used to remind me: inside every dark cloud, there’s a silver lining and along with every silver lining comes a dark cloud. He explained that life is a series of wonderful moments, terrible moments and so-so moments. He warned me not to get stuck inside or between any of them without remembering that they would pass and be followed by others. Back then, when good times came, I thought they would never end. When they ended, I crashed pretty hard. When bad times came, I thought they’d be bad forever. Dad was trying to tell me not to get too high or too low because life is always changing and that there’s good, bad and indifferent all along the way.

In church services, we say, “Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again.” Hopeful, yes and depressing too. Glass half full? Glass half empty? Certainly, a bunch of waiting. I am thankful and waiting – and sometimes I get stuck in between. Sometimes, I worry about getting stuck in the waiting and perhaps forgetting what I am waiting for. Sometimes I forget that the one I am waiting for is right here with me.

Perhaps the disciples, even when Jesus was with them, struggled the same way. In Mark, Luke and Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36, Matt 17:1-13), Peter, James and John climb up a mountain with Jesus and watch as Jesus starts to shine, and Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus. Peter offers to build tents for Moses, for Elijah and for Jesus so they can all stay on the Mountain. But the moment was over just that quickly and they had to return to the valley. Sometimes we are on the mountain with Jesus and sometimes we are here in the valley waiting.

When we are in the valley, it’s good to remember that Jesus is here with us, even while we are waiting. Sometimes we can help each other with the waiting by being Jesus to one another. As I struggle with waiting, with leaving home and going back on the road, with missing my children and grandchildren, with missing my bride (even though she is right here with me and is handing me half a day-old donut) the dog jumps in my lap and I take a sip of cold coffee from the last of the pot. Life is good. Love makes it even better. And the God who loves you UNCONDITIONALLY is with us in Thanksgiving, in waiting, in every moment.

Mike

Luke’s account of the transfiguration can be found here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%209:28-36