Day Twenty two

John 14:1-7

1.) "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. 

2.) In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 

3.) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. 

4.) And you know the way to where I am going." 

5.) Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?" 

6.) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

7.) If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him." 

         The older man lay in his bed, his life slowly slipping away. He looked around at his children surrounding his bed and saw that all had tears in their eyes.

         “Hey, hey, hey!” He said weakly. “Its OK. We’ll see each other again. You know that. And here in a little bit I’ll be with your Mom again and I’ll feel good and I’ll need that because she will have a list of things for me to do!” As his children giggled at that, the older man smiled and settled back. Soon…….

         If you haven’t lived through a similar scene yet, you probably will some day. It could be you dying, but you will want to ease the pain for your loved ones. It could be your loved one dying. They may be the one trying to comfort you. I have stood in the background of this scene a number of times. It has always been, to me, the highest honor to be there when a Christian crosses over.

         But what if you didn’t know your loved one was dying but they did know they would soon be gone? You wouldn’t understand what they meant with their words until they were gone.

         Jesus had not held back information from His disciples, but they were so conditioned by what they had always been told and the Jewish way of belief that they never really understood. Even now, when Jesus was as plain as He could be, they were confused, wondering what He meant. So, at this point, He gives them comfort. Comfort that will only kick in later when the confusion begins to lift and they see things clearer after He dies and is resurrected.

         And His words to his closest followers are still true today. We are beset on all sides. The world hates us, at least until they feel the need for God. The struggle today is great. Our nation is falling further and further away from the Savior. When the pandemic was in full swing the churches were closed while the rioters, in close quarters and without masks, were praised. We are mocked and in disrespected worse than any time in the history of this country. Our hearts are breaking for our nation and for each other.

         You are in a candlelit room, you and Jesus, and He says this;

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. Your heart begins to ease as the words take hold. 

In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? At these words, you remember that this is not you final resting place. You are still to go to the Father. You spirit calms.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. Oh, blessed day! To be with the Lord! 

And you know the way to where I am going." Yes, I do know!

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?" There are a few others there with you and Jesus. One of them, old Tom, always had a question like that. It could be irritating. But Jesus smiles at Thomas.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him." Could it be? Thomas looks like he might be getting it. Or not. But you get it.

         Today we pray that the words of Jesus stay with us, even in the darkest times. Let not your hearts be troubled.