“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:1-2)
We’re going to listen in on a very personal and tense conversation this week between Jesus and his disciples. It takes place on the night before Jesus’ crucifixion, and it had been a rough evening.
They’d had their big Passover holiday meal at a secret location because the Jewish religious leaders were looking for a chance to arrest and kill Jesus. Then he announced that one of them would betray him, and each wondered if he was the guy. Finally, Jesus told Peter he would deny even knowing Jesus before the night is over. Of course, Peter argued.
Now, Jesus changes tone and looks to comfort them for a moment. He tells them to trust God and to trust him as a way to control their anxiety. Yes, he’s leaving, but he’s planning on being with them later in a special place he’ll prepare for them. He asks us to calm ourselves with those messages, also.
Think: How does trusting God help you to control your anxiety? Can you feel worried and trust God at the same time? Does it help you to think about the day when you’ll be in the place God has prepared for you in heaven forever?
Pray: Thank God for letting us “hear” the conversation between Jesus and his disciples on the night before he was killed. Ask him to give you a deeper understanding of who Jesus is this week.
Do: Think about the kinds of things people say to each other when they are saying goodbye before parting for a long time. What do they focus on?