Gospel Reading: John 14:1-4
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 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. And you know the way to where I am going.
Devotion: “A place for you and me”
Have you spent much time thinking about heaven?
What will it look like? What do you think it will feel like to be in a sinless place? How about pain? If you have one of those painful joint issues, you will leave it behind. Grieving for departed ones? You’ll be reunited. This passage describes Jesus offering comfort to the remaining eleven. If you are of a certain age, I’ll bet you have heard this passage read at a funeral to comfort the mourners. How about the passage: “I go and prepare a place for you”? You may have a vision of Jesus steadily building, over 2000 years, a multi-room place for all Christians to dwell. I don’t think the implication here is lavishness but that there will be room for all believers. Can you think of other passages in the bible that do imply opulence [such as Rev 21, 22]? But let’s now get away from the “room construction” vision and take a broader view of “prepare a place” I believe Jesus is saying that His death and resurrection prepared us a place. At the time of Easter, we can take comfort in our heavenly reward for which He made the ultimate sacrifice. No one really knows [other than our Savior] what heaven is like but it is as real as the Gospel. I pray that you’ll take comfort in this and worry less about your earthly challenges. This week can you think about your personal relationship with God and what it really means?
Pray: Lord you are my strength and comfort. Amen
Blessings,
Joe