November 20

And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white. — Luke 9:29 BSB

Artists often paint a halo around Jesus in their depictions of Him, but there was no visible halo when He walked among the people and performed His acts of love. Yet for a brief time, during His transfiguration, the glory of His divine nature broke through, and His disciples saw it. It must have been a moment of great joy for Jesus, as He stood on that mountain, briefly stepping out of the mists of His suffering and into the glory of heaven. He was refreshed by the heavenly visitors who appeared to strengthen Him for the difficult path ahead.

An Alpine traveler once described climbing a mountain in a thick fog. At the top, he emerged into the clear air and stood under a bright sky, while the fog still covered the valley below. He could hear the sounds of life from the villages beneath, but they were hidden by the mist. Now and then, a bird would fly out of the fog, sing a little in the sunshine, and then disappear back into the clouds.

In the same way, the transfiguration was a moment of light and glory for Jesus, who spent most of His earthly life walking in the valley of suffering and sorrow. For a short time, He stepped above the clouds, bathed in the brightness of heaven, and was strengthened for the trials ahead by the presence of heavenly messengers.