Trust – John 14:1-4
Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.
In John 13:36 Jesus had just told Peter …
Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.
Jesus words themselves are enough to trouble one’s heart. He just told Peter that Peter knew the way where he was going, but that he couldn’t come – at least not now. Peter, holding on to his life for all its worth, presses the matter …
Peter: Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.
Jesus: Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a cock shall not crow until you deny me three times.
Jesus was telling Peter that he was about to find out just how little he really knew about himself and Peter was understandably troubled. His way of seeing things was being threatened and his agenda was at risk if Jesus was going somewhere without him. At the close of his gospel, John speaks to this …
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.
The Father did this with his Son. And, as he came to terms with God’s ways, Jesus responded …
Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done.
Jesus may have known what was coming but Peter didn’t. Peter was blindsided. Jesus had to take his hand and lead him somewhere he did not wish to go so that he might follow him later. Peter could have never gone the distance with Jesus had he not stretched out his hands and allowed Jesus to take him to the place where he saw his flesh and its deep entanglement with the world.
Jesus takes our hands as well and leads us to the place where we see our independence and selfish agendas. No doubt our hearts too will be troubled when we are blindsided. However, if we will let him hold our hands he will lead us into a brokenness that changes our relationship with him forever. The Lord has led us here for a purpose. As we come to grips with our bankruptcy, he is free to become our sufficiency. We trade what we cannot keep for that which we cannot loose.
Many are looking beyond the horizon of this life for the place Jesus has gone to prepare. That will be a glorious day indeed. While we wait, it is also good to acknowledge that he has, in a very real sense, already received us to himself, that where he is, there we are also.
And you know the way where I am going.
Yes we do. Jesus is himself the way, the truth and the life and he now resides in us as a current hope of glory. It is invaluable to know that, while we have homes in heaven, we are currently God’s address on earth.
Father, enlarge our hearts that we may claim current hope without forfeiting future hope. Help us to offer our trembling hands to you. May we learn to deny ourselves and not you. May we allow you to gird us with your life and take us anywhere your good and wise heart aspires. May your will be done and not ours. Untrouble us with the knowledge that we are yours and you are ours, forevermore. Amen.
Song recommendation: Beyond The Blue by Josh Garrels
Sample lyrics ….
Plumbing the depths to the place in between / The tangible world and the land of dreams
Because everything ain’t quite what it seems / There’s more beneath the appearance of things
A man is weak, but the spirit yearns / To keep on course from the bow to the stern
And throw overboard every selfish concern / That tries to work for what can’t be earned
Sometimes the only way to return is to go, / Where the winds will take you
And to let go, of all, you cannot hold onto / For the hope, beyond,the blue
Said I let go, of all, I could not hold onto / For the hope, I have, in yo