Verse of the Day Devotion: John 14:1

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” – John 14:1

Just before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knew His time to leave was coming.  “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1.  And because of this, He was preparing them for His departure.  Therefore, after Judas left to betray Jesus, He lets the remaining eleven know.  “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.” John 13:33.  This was very difficult for the disciples to accept.  Think about this, for the past three years He had spent almost all His time working with the disciples training them for the work He was calling them to, which was making disciples of all nations.

But Peter was confused.  “Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later. Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” John 13:36-37.  He first asks Jesus where He was  going, and after receiving the answer He follows up with another.  “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” John 13:38. Peter asks Jesus if he could go along.  Notice it was can I follow and  not can we follow.  He was obviously asking this in an impetuous manner, not thinking about it before asking.  However, Jesus follows this with a question.  “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.”  John 13:38. 

Jesus understood this conversation left them unsettled.  They obviously did not like what they heard.  But Jesus, seeing this is the case, said the following. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:1.  However, Jesus does not stop there.  “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.”  John 14:2-3.  He lets them know that He will be going away and they cannot immediately follow.  However, He adds that one day He will come back and bring them to where He resides. 

I know for myself that there are times I wonder why things have to be the way they are, just as the disciples did when they were told this good friend and teacher was going away and they could not follow.  And I feel confident that many times you also have experienced these times as well.  Ours is a little different in that Jesus is not physically here as He was with the disciples.  However, this does not negate the fact that His response to them is the same for us.  We should not let our hearts be troubled by the many things that we encounter, for our time here is just as temporary as theirs.  Jesus told them that He would come again and take them with Him, so that where He is they will be also.  And this promise applies to us as well.  In fact, it applies to all who have given their lives completely to Christ and have accepted the work He did on the cross.  This is the future for all Christians, eternity with Christ.  Remember this when difficulties come, that not only is He here to help us through these difficult times but when our time here is over He will take us home to be with Him forever.

So, as Jesus told His disciples, do not let your heart be troubled.  Believe in Him and be comforted with the fact that He will always be with us, both here and in heaven, our eternal home.  He is coming back.  Let you mind and heart always focus on this.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.