Saturday, March 2, 2019

Luke 9:28-43




Luke 9:28-43 (NRSV)

28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

The theme of Luke 9:28-36 is a story of the miracle of the Transfiguration.[1] The uniqueness of this miracle is that Jesus does not perform it. It comes from outside him.[2] This story deepens the affirmation of faith by Peter in 8:29. This event anticipates the glorifying that Jesus experienced at the resurrection.[3] The story offers a tantalizing glimpse into the true nature of the Messiah. The story suggests that if the disciples had only had faith to listen and see, they would have known who Jesus is.

An understanding of the eschatological future as revelation of the divine glory determines what New Testament authors say about the future of Jesus Christ. If we view the tradition as something that took place in the earthly history of Jesus and not as an account that originally belonged to the stories of the resurrection, then we may see it as an anticipatory manifestation of the glorifying that Jesus experienced at his resurrection.[4]

28 Now about eight days[5] after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter [who had just confessed Jesus as the Messiah] and John and James, who had been with Jesus since the first chapter, leaving their nets to follow, and went up on the mountain. They are in a zone known in biblical literature for its sensitivity to revelation from God. On a high mountain, Moses received the legal code (Exodus 34:29ff); on a mountain Solomon built the Jerusalem temple. Biblically speaking, mountains are the contemporary equivalent of a fax line straight to God. The fact that Jesus has taken them up a mountain should stir their anticipation for what will come next. Jesus takes them up the mountain to pray. Luke adds this to the Mark account. 29 Further, while he was praying, Luke adding this to Mark, specifying that prayer is central in bring forth the Transfiguration. Prayer for Luke is a signal for the approach of some revelatory event, the premier posture for divine manifestation. At prayer, Jesus is caught up in the presence of God. This prayerful vigil brings him and the disciples into the divine presence, where they receive the special revelation. Thus, while praying, the appearance of his face changed (metamorfw). The strange event on the mountain is an epiphany, the link with Exodus 24:12-18 being unmistakable. Exodus 34:29-35 describes the appearance of Moses changing as he descends from the mountain after receiving the Ten Commandments. The features of Jesus became a mirror of the radiance of the divine light. Further, his clothes became dazzling, an intensification of the word Mark uses, white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah together represent the testimony of all Scripture‑‑both the Law and the Prophets‑‑about Jesus' true messianic identity. In addition, Moses' presence calls to mind the mountaintop transfiguration he experienced in Exodus 34:29‑35. Moses' face also "shone" with a dazzling light after he was addressed by a voice from the clouds that covered the mountaintop. Paul both affirms and differentiates the similarity between Moses' experience and Jesus' Transfiguration in II Corinthians 3:7‑4:6. The apostle reminds his reader that, after his experience, the face of Moses was constantly "veiled," while for Christians the event of Jesus' Transfiguration is only the first showing of the splendor and radiance of God's glory that is fully revealed at the Resurrection. The vision blends elements of the resurrection appearance tradition (e.g., the whiteness of his clothes, compare to Mark 16:5) with Old Testament messianic imagery evoking Moses and Elijah. In this vision, the role of Jesus as Messiah is affirmed according to traditional biblical categories (e.g., a return of Elijah precedes the Messiah). Moses and Elijah were talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure [death], which he was about to accomplish, passion events and the salvation they offer, at Jerusalem. Luke adds this, with Mark not presuming to know what they discussed. It becomes a story of a heavenly confirmation of the passion. The scene is on the way to the cross, God giving the fearful disciples a revelation of where the journey with Jesus is leading, which is not just martyrdom, but glory.

 32 Now, sleep weighed down Peter and his companions, which may explain why they did not hear his epiphany, but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Most scholars dismiss Peter's suggestion (that the disciples build "booths" or "tents" to provide shelter for these visiting dignitaries) as both foolish and wrong‑headed. The disciples with Jesus must have been overwhelmed. It is possible Peter’s response relates to Amos 9:11-12, where the booths of David refer to the dwellings that the armies of David would have when on a successful campaign.  The suggestion of booths could mean temporary housing for some messianic army God will send, an army headed by Jesus, Moses and Elijah.  In any case, Jesus could not fulfill his mission from the mountaintop.  He had to complete it on a cross on top of a garbage heap.  Yet, Peter’s suggestion may be just as ridiculous as it first appears! It is true that Peter's suggestion seems to imply that he wished to sustain the magic of the moment by building shelters for the transfigured Jesus and his two comrades, Moses and Elijah. Jesus' own testimony about the suffering and death that immediately precede this narrative denies the possibility of a glorified Jesus without the passion events. However, we may give Peter less credit than he deserves. The term used here‑‑ skene or "booths"‑‑refers primarily to those structures built during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot‑‑the festival of booths. Originally, an agricultural celebration of the harvest, by Jesus' day Sukkot had taken on significant eschatological meaning. Gathering under the shelter of the Sukkot symbolized the gathering together of all the righteous in their heavenly tents. Yet, while this heavenly "sukkot" was eternal, those constructed by observant Jews on earth were intentionally temporary, lean‑to type constructions. A traditional sukkot could have four walls. More often, they had only three, or even two and a half. The roof was supposed to give only minimal shelter from the elements. Ideally, the stars, the lights of heaven, should be visible through the roof in several places. More than we have appreciated, Peter may have realized the transient nature of the occurrence. Desirous to do something to commemorate the event, he proposed building temporary shelter for them to dwell in.] Peter's response to the vision of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah in 9:5 is yet another example of his incomplete understanding of who Jesus is as the Christ. Peter, in his fear, sees the importance of the vision, and yet he again misunderstands the mission. We can see the awkwardness of the attempt Peter makes in the grammar.   —not knowing what he said. Peter is obtuse concerning what he saw, heightened by use of “Master” rather than “Lord.”

34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them. Exodus 24:15-18 has the cloud cover the mountain, which seems to be identical with the glory of God. Further, they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” In Luke 9:9, Herod wonders who Jesus is, about whom he hears such things. Luke gives an answer. The parallel with the baptism is clear. Here, however, the voice addresses the disciples, calling on the disciples to live in obedience to him, that is, “listen to him.” Disciples are to live their lives bound by this obedience. The divine voice becomes another affirmation of the role of Jesus as Messiah. The entire event serves to demonstrate the authority of Jesus and his messianic identity. I have approached this text as if it relates a visionary type of experience within the ministry of Jesus.[6] An understanding of the eschatological future as revelation of the divine glory determines what New Testament authors say about the future of Jesus Christ. If we view the tradition as something that took place in the earthly history of Jesus and not as an account that originally belonged to the stories of the resurrection, then we may see it as an anticipatory manifestation of the glorifying that Jesus experienced at his resurrection.[7] 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. Moreover, they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen. After Luke 9:21-27, where Jesus reveals his suffering, death, and resurrection, we find another hinge moment in the ministry of Jesus. On the trip down the mountain, Jesus underscores that his mission to Jerusalem is indeed an essential part of the glory that God has revealed about him on the mountain. He orders them not to tell anyone what they have seen until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. In other words, they will not know the full meaning of his glory before he has been crucified, buried and risen. Jesus' mission as the Christ has a purpose, and that purpose is the full manifestation of the power of God's love in the endurance of human suffering and the defeat of the powers of sin and death through the cross and resurrection.

Just before this passage, Jesus promised that this generation would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God. We then have this story of the transfiguration of Jesus, which occurs at the end of the ministry of Jesus in Galilee. It has a connection with the baptism of Jesus, which occurred before the Galilean ministry of Jesus. The question of their seeing the kingdom of God before they die has a preliminary answer in this story. It confirms the story of the passion, the suffering and death of Jesus upon the cross, as the suffering and death of the Son of God. This journey, with all that it implies, is the journey of the Son. It reveals the way of God among us. Luke often mentions Jesus at prayer, a moment that reveals the purpose of the Father in the life of the Son. When the transfiguration of Jesus takes place, the story finds its basis in Exodus 34:29-35, where the face of Moses shined when he received the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. However, in this case, the shining of Jesus leads to a statement of who Jesus is, the Son, and that disciples of Jesus are to listen to him. As the story unfolds, they see Moses and Elijah. Scholars are not sure what they signify. They could represent the Law the Prophets. They could represent the distinctiveness and superiority of Jesus over the Law and the Prophets. In Jewish apocalyptic literature, they were persons who would re-appear at the end of time. Luke says he knows that about which they talked: the “departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” The disciples show some disorientation. Yet, Peter seems to have some awareness of the holy place this mountain had become, and thus suggests three dwellings. However, the departure of Moses and Elijah, and the voice from heaven asserting who Jesus was and that they were to listen to him, are quite significant. Disciples are now followers of Jesus.

The disciples will know the full meaning of his glory before he has been crucified, buried and risen. Jesus' mission as the Christ has a purpose, and that purpose is the full manifestation of the power of God's love in the endurance of human suffering and the defeat of the powers of sin and death through the cross and resurrection. Jesus and the disciples ascend the mountain and experience the power of the presence of God. In a sense, the mountain gives them a vision of the direction of the Son. The disciples receive a vision of the divinity of Jesus, insofar as they could apprehend at this time. They saw that God dwelled with him in a unique way.[8] As mountains often do, they enable a broader vision of the surroundings. Yet, of course, they will not live in that broader vision. Like streams that begin in the mountains, they must descend to bring fruitfulness to the valley below.[9]

Jesus brings to its climax the work of the prophets who have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Jesus fulfills, brings to its desired conclusion, the entire story of Israel, who was to be a light to the nations. God formed the nation of Israel for a purpose. Israel was to be the vehicle of the redemption God wanted to offer the world. Israel was to be a witness among the nations of that longed-for redemption. Israel was to be a model of redemption. Israel existed for the sake of the redemption of the world. Jesus brings the story of Israel to fulfillment. He is the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. Yet, such a message of salvation and redemption would not be possible without the ministry of Moses, Elijah, and the ministry of the kings of Israel.[10]

I would like to offer an analogy. The analogy carries with it a risk. I do not know how much the reader hungers for beauty. You know when you beauty invades your ordinary experience. It captures your attention. If you have not had that experience, I think it is fair to say that you hope it will happen someday. It may happen with the physical or even spiritual beauty of person. It may happen in nature, of course, but it may also happen with a work of art. In that moment, as transitory as it may be, we will express something like the good fortune we have had to be there, in the presence of such beauty. Such beauty calls out to us. It calls us to recognize the true value and worth of another. We may have some thrill to be in the presence of such beauty. We are likely thankful. Beauty has a way of reaching out, seizing us, and demanding our attention. Such experiences of beauty may well provide a clue to give us a sign or glimpse of what it would be like to allow the beauty of the Lord to reach out, seize us, and demand our attention. If we do, we worship.[11]

Have you had what you would consider a genuine awakening to God?

I am not thinking of conversion. I am thinking of an experience that “in some way” deepened your connection with God. Many Americans think they have had such an experience. About one third of all Americans claim a religious or mystical experience. Some of them felt a union with the divine. Some describe special communications with the dead, divine beings, or visions. Sometimes, light accompanies such visions.[12] An experience like that does not prove that God exists, of course. Yet, it can give assurance to one has received teaching concerning God. Such an experience can give some assurance at a deep and profound level, deeply personal, that one has heard taught is true. William James famously outlined his understanding of the mystical experience. The quality of these experiences at least four defining characteristics. James referred to them as mystical states of consciousness. Ineffability: these experiences are not precisely in ordinary language but only with the language of metaphor: "It was like . . .” Transiency: the experiences are typically brief; they come and go. One does not live in a permanent state of mystical consciousness. Passivity: they receive them rather than achieve them. Though spiritual practices may help create the conditions for such experiences, they are not under the control of the person. Fourth, these experiences are noetic. People who have them say they involve a knowing, and not just strong feelings such as joy or awe or dread or wonder (though they frequently involve one or more of these as well). Mystics are strongly convinced that they know something they did not know before. What they know is not another bit of knowledge or piece of information, but another reality: they have an experiential awareness of the sacred.

Importantly, such experiences are transformative. They transform a person's way of seeing and being. Mystics see the world differently. Rather than seeing the world as "ordinary," they frequently see it as "suchness," as the playful and wondrous dance of the void. Moreover, mystical experiences also transform a person's way of being, leading to freedom from conventional anxieties and inhibitions and to compassion as a way of relating to the world. The Christians I know can often think of such experiences. Yet, they do not rely upon them. Most of Christian life is lived day to day, apart from such high and blissful moments. However, when I read of such experiences, when I reflect upon the few I have had in my life, it reminds me to be alert to every moment. If one can experience God like that, then God is in some sense knowable “right here” and not simply “everywhere.”[13] We need to hold on to time. We need to guard it and watch over it. If we do not give due regard to each moment, it will slip away. In a sense, every moment is sacred. Each moment can have its clarity and meaning. Each moment deserves the weight of our awareness. Each moment has its true and due fulfilment.[14] Overwhelmed with anxiety, we might see a vanity plate on a car that has the word “trust” on it. The ordinary moment can become a revelation.[15] Similar moments occur in worship when we catch some snippet of a phrase, some insight, some vision (which may be extremely difficult or even embarrassing to share with others) and base our lives upon it. Such are the ways of revelation. Such experiences have the intent of genuine transformation.

The British writer and humorist, Maximillian Beerbohm (1872-1956), has a story called “The Happy Hypocrite.” It is a sort of parable. The main character is a notoriously self-centered individual, named — appropriately enough — Lord George Hell. After many years of overindulgence in pleasures of the flesh, Lord George is a wreck of a man — as can be seen most clearly in his face, which is bloated and unhealthy looking. Something happens one day that changes George’s life forever. He sees a beautiful young woman and falls in love. It is a singularly pure attraction for such a corrupt and degenerate man. With every good intention, he wants to make her his wife — but he knows she would never accept his offer if she knew what he really was like. There is an element of magic to this story. Lord George Hell puts on the mask of a saint to hide his sinner’s face. As far as anyone knows, he is a kind and virtuous man. He courts the young woman and marries her. They live happily together. That is, until a woman shows up from George’s past. The mask does not fool her. She knows the man underneath it (or thinks she does). One day, in the presence of George’s wife, she confronts him and tears off his mask, expecting to reveal the bloated, pockmarked face of the old degenerate. What she reveals is something quite different. The mask was magical in many ways. Behind the mask of a saint is now the face of a true saint — the saint Lord George Hell has become, by wearing the mask.

The movie Life as a House (2001) is the story of a very dysfunctional family. The movie depicts an amazing process of transformation. The relationship between Sam, the rebellious teen, and George, his father, goes through a change as they tear down a shack and build a house together. As they build the house, Sam rebuilds his self-esteem and sense of identity. In the early stages of this transformation, George tells Sam, “Change can be so constant you don’t even feel the difference until there is one. It can be so slow that you do not know your life is better or worse until it is. Or, it can just blow you away, making you something different in an instant.”

I know that we often criticize Peter for saying that he wants to build three dwellings. We cannot stay on the mountain. Yes, I know that – but here is my fear. Too many of us have no mountaintop and do not properly cherish the moments with God that God graciously gives to us. Do you have a sacred place in your home?

The voice from the cloud said we are to listen to Jesus. We are to follow him. If we have truly seen divinity in Jesus, then we have a decision to make. Too often today, even people within the church want to downplay the uniqueness of Jesus, seeing him as just one of many wise and compassionate spiritual leaders who have had a positive impact on the world. Sure, Jesus was kind, gentle, meek, and mild. He was a good man. Yet, such sentimental statements about Jesus miss a crucial point.  Look at the transfiguration. Examine it. Breathe it in, deeply. This event reveals that Jesus is the exalted Lord, the center of history, the goal of human history, and the one binds all of creation together. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Once you have seen this side of Jesus, you have to pick up your cross and follow, or get out of the way. He is a man on a mission. We need to decide to be part of it, or set it aside.

Luke emphasizes the role of prayer in this story. I like the idea of prayer as simply going through life with Jesus. Sometimes, I need to set aside specific time with Jesus. I need time to become better acquainted with where Jesus is going, the path he takes to get there, and what role he wants me to play. Many persons wonder who this Jesus is and I understand the question. Life has so many complexities, including the honest reality that those of us who follow Jesus too often obscure the message by our lives. I have come to realize one thing, however. Jesus knows who he is. He is the Son. He is the one through whom God will bring the kingdom. He is the one who invites people to experience the grace of that reign of God. The problem is not with Jesus. Jesus is already Lord. Jesus already shines brightly. Jesus already knows the direction he is heading. The problem, I confess, is with me.  I often do not have the vision to see or the ears to hear. I am too often sleepy of spirit, weighed down by the cares and anxieties of this life. In particular, the journey may well have its cross for me to bear. Even though following Jesus may well have its share of suffering, I want so much to listen to him and obey him. If my life is only about satisfying my desires, my vision is far too limited. I need to open my life to the vision Jesus has for the world. Then I can know better the role God has for me in that vision.

Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act I, Scene 1, has an example all of typical of us in prayer. The people are on a ship at sea and in a terrible storm. The Mariners say, “All lost! To prayers, to prayers! All lost!” Gonzalo continues by saying, “The king and prince at prayers! Let us assist them, for our case is as theirs.” We want to pray when we are in trouble, of course. I hope that is not only time we pray. In the same play, however, Prospero has a concluding speech, including these sentiments:

And my ending is despair
Unless I be relieved by prayer;
Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

Prayer is part of our longing for a connection with the eternal, and therefore, with God.

            We do not always get that for which we ask, of course. In Anthony and Cleopatra, Act II, Scene 1, Messina makes an interesting observation about unanswered prayer:

We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.

God may well know better than we do. Even if God does not bring you the answer you want, writes Frederick Buechner, God “will bring you himself. And maybe at the secret heart of all our prayers that is what we are really praying for.”

The way we are living can make prayer even more difficult. In Hamlet, Act III, Scene 3, Claudius, who has killed his brother in order to be king, tries to pray. However, he says, “My words fly up, my thought remains below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.” Our words may seem like they get no further than the ceiling, we say. We need to take an honest look at what is in us that may hinder our prayer.

Luke 9:37-43a is a story about Jesus involving the exorcism of the epileptic boy. The source is Mark. It stresses the authority of Jesus. The healing of the epileptic boy in 9:37-43a becomes a sign of the kingdom of God, for, as we find in 11:20, Jesus casts out demons as a sign of the kingdom of God. 37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, an emphasis in the gospel story is the lack of trust by the disciples, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, emphasizing the authority of Jesus, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astounded at the greatness of God.



[1] The "Transfiguration" event is recorded in the other two synoptic gospels (Mark 9:2-8 and Matthew 17:1‑8) as well as in the epistle II Peter 1:16‑18.
[2] Barth, Church Dogmatics III.2 [47.1] 478.
[3] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 626.
[4] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 626.
[5] Mark says six
[6] Vincent Taylor, in his commentary, gives four hypotheses concerning this text.  One, God revealed the true form of Jesus by breaking through the limitations of his humanity in divine revelation to the three chosen disciples. This would affirm historicity of the account.  In addition, we might find further affirmation of historicity in the view that this was a visionary experience of the disciples.  Two is a visionary experience.  It may be a prelude to the resurrection.  Three is a legend or symbolic story.  It could be a resurrection story read back into the earthly life of Jesus.  However, this view is difficult because of the presence of Moses and Elijah.  Some scholars refer to it as a “misplaced” resurrection narrative. However, Mark as a theologian likely had good theological reasons for giving readers a hint of the risen Lord in the midst of the ministry of Jesus. Four, it may be pure symbolism.  In this case, v. 4-5, 6, 7-8 could be Jewish eschatology and v. 3 could be Hellenistic mystery religion.
[7] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 626.
[8] --Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359 A.D.), Archbishop of Thessalonica, "Sermon on the transfiguration," http://oca.org/fs/sermons/sermon-on-the-transfiguration. Retrieved September 10, 2014. "What does it mean to say: He was transfigured?" asks the Golden-Mouthed Theologian (Chrysostomos). He answers this by saying: "It revealed something of his divinity to them, as much and insofar as they were able to apprehend it, and it showed the indwelling of God within him."
[9]  --Henry Drummond, Scottish theologian. God does not make the mountains in order to be inhabited. God does not make the mountaintops for us to live on the mountaintops. It is not God's desire that we live on the mountaintops. We only ascend to the heights to catch a broader vision of the earthly surroundings below. But we don't live there. We don't tarry there. The streams begin in the uplands, but these streams descend quickly to gladden the valleys below.
[11] (N. T. Wright, For All God’s Worth: True Worship and the Calling of the Church [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997], p. 7.)
[12] - George Gallup, Jr. Adventures in Immortality, quoted in Anthony C. Winkler, Jo Ray McCuen's, Rhetoric Made Plain, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1988. Our surveys have shown that nearly one-third of all Americans - or about 47 million people - have had what they call a religious or mystical experience. Of this group about 15 million report an otherworldly feeling of union with a divine being. They describe such things as special communications from deceased people or divine beings, visions of unusual lights, and out-of-body experiences. For instance, one said, "I was reading the Bible one night and couldn't sleep. A vision appeared to me. I was frozen and motionless. I saw an unusual light that wasn't there - but was. There was a great awareness of someone else being in that room with me." 
[13] (Marcus J. Borg and N. T. Wright, The Meaning of Jesus, Two Visions [San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1999], pp. 61-62.)
[14] -Thomas Mann, from The Magic Mountain, quoted by Joanne Lynn and Joan Harrold in Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), 16. Hold fast to time! Guard it, watch over it, every hour, every minute! Unregarded, it slips away, like a lizard, smooth, slippery, faithless. ... Hold every moment sacred. Give each clarity and meaning, each the weight of your awareness, each its true and due fulfillment.
[15] David Bartlett tells of how Frederick Buechner was consumed by worry over his daughter's affliction with anorexia. Sick with worry, driving back to his home in Vermont, he pulled into a rest stop. There Buechner spied a license plate, one of those vanity license plates, although this time it was not really a vanity plate. The license plate read simply "trust."
                For Buechner it was a revelation. A great sense of calm swept over his life and he knew he could go on. Bartlett says you have to admire that New England Bank trust department officer, who in a pun on his title, put "trust" on his license plate.
                You have to admire Buechner for taking that license plate and turning it into a revelation from God for his life.

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