The Mountain and the Valley
There are moments in life when God gives us just enough of a glimpse of His glory to keep us going.
In Mark 9:1–13, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. What happens next is unlike anything they had experienced before. Jesus is “transfigured” before them — His clothes become dazzling white, His face radiant. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appear, representing the Law and the Prophets, and they are talking with Jesus. It’s as if the entire story of Scripture is converging in one place.
Why this moment? Because just before this, Jesus had been teaching about His coming suffering, rejection, and death. The road ahead for the disciples would be filled with confusion, fear, and trials. So He gave them a preview — a mountaintop glimpse of His power and glory — to sustain them in the valley.
God the Father speaks from a cloud, repeating the words from Jesus’ baptism: “This is my beloved Son.” But this time He adds, “Listen to Him.” It’s a reminder that Jesus’ voice has ultimate authority. The disciples didn’t need to build tents to memorialize the moment. They needed to obey the One standing before them.
On the way down the mountain, Jesus tells them not to speak of this until after His resurrection. Even the glory they just witnessed could only be fully understood through the lens of the cross. The path to the crown always goes through suffering.
We live in a noisy, distracting world. It’s easy to get lost in the valleys of hardship or the fog of everyday busyness. But God still gives His people moments — through His Word, in worship, or in answered prayer — when His glory breaks through. Those moments are meant to strengthen our faith for the journey.
At Calvary, our mission is to carry hope, build intentional relationships, pursue Jesus, and make disciples. Like the disciples on that mountain, we are called to listen to Jesus, to walk faithfully even when the road is hard, and to live in light of the glory we’ve glimpsed.
One day, we won’t just get a preview. We will see Him face to face. Until then, we walk with hope, knowing the King we follow is radiant, victorious, and worth it all.
