PAM Murphy led the service at Crediton Methodist Church on Sunday, February 18 with the theme “At the Top of the World”.

The challenge was to show photos of things that gave us a “WOW” moment. We saw a sunset taken at Upper Deck in Crediton.

Photographs taken at Blackator Copse and at Yes Tor on Dartmoor when the view and natural habitat made the photographer go Wow!

We saw four photographs of the Great Wall of China and the photographer said she was quite emotional at the view and the skill and effort to build it. Finally Pam showed one daffodil in flower in her garden on a frosty day.

From these photos we saw how experiences can take our breath away and make our hearts swell with awe and wonder.

Jesus had been trying to explain to all the disciples what was going to happen to him and how he would be put to death. Their response was “Never Lord”.

Jesus reassuringly told them He would be raised to life again, but were the disciples’ hearts, at this time, ready and open to be listening to what Jesus was predicting – open to listening to what they didn’t want to hear?

Rather than an actual reading from the Bible, we heard a monologue from Peter’s perspective of the Transfiguration.

Jesus knew that for Peter, James and John, and for the sake of His work on earth continuing after his physical death – the three of them needed to have the amazing experience of seeing Jesus clothed in His glory for themselves to believe and to help others believe.

It is because of these three men – who started off by accepting Jesus’ call to follow Him, who stayed with Him for his three years of ministry on earth, and who witnessed His transfiguration that revealed the Glory of God that was part and parcel of Jesus.

These three men also witnessed God in Jesus as He was crucified and raised again to life. It is because of their faith and trust in Him that we today can believe and can witness ourselves to our faith and trust in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – so that others may come to seek Jesus with their own spiritual eyes and to find Him waiting for them.

Pam said as we are approaching the season of Lent, it is a gift of time for refocussing on each of our relationships with God and what He did for us in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

Like those first disciples we may not always get it right – but Jesus never gave up on them and He will never give up on us.

So, in confidence, we can continue stepping out with Jesus and following wherever He leads us.

So, this Lent, may this period of walking with Christ Jesus be blessed for you and may you glimpse – even fleetingly – something of the Glory of God and may you see afresh who this glorious Saviour is for you, for those you love, and those you find it hard to love.

Bronwyn Nott