2/17/16---Mountain High and Valley Low

This afternoon, I went to Occupational Services over at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH) to receive a tuberculosis (TB) test. To do this, the nurse had to inject a small amount of tuberculosis protein into my inner forearm. In 2 days, I will go back to this nurse and she will see if a small red bump has formed at the site of the injection. If there is a red bump, that means I have been exposed, at some point, to TB.

The reason I have to do this test is because it is likely that I will be exposed to TB while volunteering at TMH during my unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). There is an inherent risk of being exposed to this disease because of where I will be and who I will be near, so this test is meant to measure that risk. 

This week, we come to Transfiguration Sunday; we remember Jesus' mountaintop experience with some of the disciples. This week's gospel lesson tells a remarkable story (Luke 9:2-43). Jesus has called the 12 disciples and given them advice for their ministry, he had given them authority to minister, he called them to feed the 5000, and Peter confessed him to be the Messiah, the Savior. After this, Jesus tells the 12 about how he will suffer and die a sinner's death but be raised up to life, and he says to them “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24). Then, Jesus goes up to a mountain to pray with James, John, and Peter. While he was praying, Jesus shined, and Moses and Elijah showed up and affirmed what Jesus was saying about going to Jerusalem to be convicted and hung on a cross. So of course, Peter, James, and John were asleep. Yes, asleep. They were about to miss this! Thank goodness they woke up, and saw what has happening on this mountaintop. Peter wanted to stay there, and who wouldn't? 

But Jesus is not your typical guy. He is the Lord, the son of God, so of course he does things a little differently. He does not want to stay here, and God agrees ("this is my Son...listen to Him!"). So what does Jesus do? He goes back down to the valley. He knows he has work to do down there, not up on the mountain. What immediately follows this mountaintop experience speaks loudly of Jesus' character, of who Jesus was. He goes right from the mountain down to the valley and heals a boy with an unclean spirit. He goes down to where there is much risk, but much ministry to be done. His mission, which we read in Luke 4:18-19, is not to stay safe, but to liberate the oppressed. 

When I go into TMH, I know it is risky. Hours upon hours of visiting sick, confused, scared patients is not safe. I am not expecting any mountaintop experiences, I am expecting something even greater: I want the valley low experience. You want to know why? I'd love to say that it's because I think it's something Jesus would do, but that's not the reason (although I think he would do things like this today). I am doing it because someone has done it for me. I've never had surgery or a life-threatening illness, thank goodness, but I have had experiences of pain, confusion, anxiety, and fear. And folks showed up for me, comforted me, listened to me...ministered to me. The impact that has had on my life, and many others', is profound. I believe that the Kingdom of God breaks through into this world through those valley-low experiences. On the mountaintop, whatever a spiritual high for you looks like, you may feel loved like you never have before by God, But it never ends there; God's grace always goes back down into the valley, because that is where the people are.