Trust

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:1-14, NLT)

REFLECTIONS:

This conversation that Jesus has with His disciples comes right on the heels of, and really in the middle of, Him telling them that He will soon die. This portion of the conversation begins with “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” There are just some things that take trusting the Lord to handle—no amount of striving, good-idea brainstorming, or expediting can take trust’s place. There are some things we must wait for Him on, and we have to remember in the meantime that He is preparing something even greater for us. So the next time there’s an issue that you feel you can’t break through or God’s not “showing up,” remember that even Jesus went through some rough stuff and He made it through because of the joy set before Him, and He will pull us through our stuff. He’s preparing something great for us. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Even in the face of earthly failure, lies, and death, He’s pulling us forward.

Within this, Jesus talks a lot about He being in the Father and the Father being in Him. This conversation really has to be read understanding the Father heart of God. This includes the part of being a Father that requires not allowing your child to have whatever (s)he wants exactly when (s)he wants it, but rather keeping some things saved for the future, for their benefit.

PRAYER:

Jesus, help me to trust in You and not let things trouble my heart. Let me be like the child who can sleep soundly, knowing that whatever happens while they are asleep (mind at ease and heart at rest), their Father can handle. I love You and trust You, Jesus.

WHO AM I?

I am Jordan Bland. The Lord has been showing me recently, more than ever, how He can speak to me through others. Words of life coming from someone you know and love are irreplaceable. Here’s a message from my best friend, encouraging me in the midst of something I was going through recently.