Bill’s first hospital stay began in November 2025. He was seriously ill, and the doctors used the terms “heart failure,” “kidney failure,” and “emergency dialysis.” Those words shook us to the core. We arrived at the ER simply thinking Bill’s asthma was acting up. Hearing the test results left us completely confused. Ominous, grim foreboding enveloped our hearts. We didn’t understand. This was not in our plans.
DEATH NOT IN THEIR PLANS
In Mark 9:2-13, do you think the Disciples were also completely confused? The Transfiguration happened six days after Peter confessed Jesus as Messiah. What had gone wrong? Right after Peter’s confession, Jesus told the Disciples He must suffer and die. That’s the last thing they wanted to hear. Offended, Peter “took him [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke Him” (Mark 8:32). Peter is sharply rebuked by Christ, and “the disciples move with an attitude of ominous, grim foreboding. All they can think about are these terrible words that Jesus had spoken to them. Christ was moving towards death” (R.C. Sproul). They did not want Christ’s prophecy to be true. Death was not in their plans.
HOW TO COUNTER DARKNESS
How does God counter this cloud of darkness? With light. Peter, James, and John (probably the rowdiest of the Disciples) are called up to the mountain. Sproul continues, “For all His earthly life, the incarnate Logos, the second person of the Trinity, has His glory hidden and veiled in the cloak of Jesus’ humanity, but now suddenly before the eyes of the disciples bursts forth the full deity of Christ.” Christ’s “face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2). This is not a reflection of light (i.e., the moon reflects the sun), but the source of light is Jesus, mentioned repeatedly in the Bible (John 1:14, John 8:12,John 12:46).This is the Shekinah Glory, the light greater than 1,000 suns. It shatters the darkness because it is God’s plan.
PETER’S PLANS
On the mount, the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. What were they talking about? Moses represented the Law, and Elijah represented the Prophets. Moses and Elijah both knew Jesus came to die, and why (Matthew 5:17). However, impulsive Peter just can’t hold it in and brashly interrupts. This is the Messiah’s moment, but Peter makes his own plans.
MANKIND’S PLANS REBEL AGAINST GOD’S
Ah, mankind’s plans rebel against God’s. Peter is silenced as a voice announces out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him and obey Him!” In the coming days, the Disciples often failed to listen or obey, but the Father’s words eventually took root in their hearts. Knowing Jesus as the Christ changed Peter, James, and John’s lives and the course of world history. They had to learn to trust Christ’s plans and direction completely. Only when they trusted their own plans did the foreboding cloud of doom surround the Disciples.
HOW TO BREAK FREE OF FEAR
Are you stuck in that dark cloud? Confused? Afraid? Megan Marshman writes: “The Holy Spirit gives you one step at a time, expecting you to look back to Him for what’s next and then to do that over and over again. He even graciously knows how to reroute you and use all your missed turns to get you to where He is taking you.” Bill and I learned this during 5 hospital stays. Peter, James, and John learned to trust Christ, even when their hearts and plans were shattered. Leave the darkness and release your plans to the One whose “face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.”
