Friday, July 14, 2023

He is preparing a place

I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

The next four chapters of John are Jesus’ last teaching to His disciple before His death.  I know I will not be able to write about every truth that He taught them, but I will break it down into small pieces to draw out some of the key lessons He gave them as His final words before going to the cross.  These were some of the most important things that He taught so I want to go through them slowly.

Chapter 14 starts out with Jesus talking to His leadership team right after the last supper.  He started out by telling them not to be afraid or worried because He is leaving to get a place ready for them to come and live with Him in His Father’s house.  Although the disciples really didn’t understand what He was talking about at that time, He was trying to comfort them because He knew what He was about to face was going to be very hard on them and scary.  As I read the words “I go to prepare a place for you”, I immediately thought about the account of creation.  When God prepared a place for His created people to live.  He made sure that everything was just right in the world before He made Adam and put him in the garden.  He prepared everything He would need before He place man in his home.

As Jesus told the disciple that He was going to prepare a place and then coming back to get them, they were probably reminded of the tradition of the bridegroom in their culture.  Before the groom would bring his bride home, he would prepare a home for them to live in after they were married.  He worked on that place until his father told the him everything was ready and it was time to go and marry his bride.  The groom didn’t know when that time would be.  He just continued to work because he trusted his father to know the right timing and waited for his father to give the word.

I love it that Jesus wanted to give His disciples hope that even though He was leaving for a while, He promised them that He would come back.  I’m sure the disciples didn’t remember the promise at first, but after they had some time to process all that had happened, they remembered “oh yeah, He said He is coming back to get us!”

That promise still holds true today.  Even though it has been a long while since Jesus ascended into heaven, He is still preparing, and He is still waiting for His Father to give the word to come and get us.  We have hope for a future with Him and when He does come for us, He is coming for His bride to bring her to His home and join as one for all eternity!  What a great time of celebration that day will be.  I am looking forward to the day when He picks me up and takes me away from this place to the home, He has especially prepared for me.

Today I want to encourage you to hold fast to this hope of Jesus’ return for His people.  Live each day as though you are preparing for your groom.  Prepare to be with Him by getting your mission accomplished and purging out the distraction of life.  Turn your attention to getting ready for the wedding to come.  We have an assignment too and that is to live each day getting our steps aligned with His plan and purpose.  Put away the things of the world and make His priorities your priorities. He is coming back, so let’s get ready for the day when we will meet Him in the air.

Today’s scripture reading: John 14:1-6

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

3 And 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. 

4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

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