John 14 I go to prepare a place for you.
Theres a place for us. Not just somewhere but a specific location and destiny. The night of His arrest Jesus provides these words to His disciples to put their hearts and fears at rest. He begins by telling them, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe in Me also". These men were about to face a weekend of hell. Although Jesus had told these men repeatedly about the need for His death there is no evidence that these men really believed it or were prepared for it. You can bet that when the thing came down, for these men it seemed like the end of the world. Jesus knew that these disciples were going to struggle mightily with troubled hearts and that the only thing that would provide them any sense of peace would be the surety of His word. Until that glorious Sunday morning, the surety of God's word would be all they would have. So Jesus gives them the solution to the troubled heart. Believe. In God. And in Christ. They would need nothing else to get them through. He even reassures them by saying "If it were not so I would have told you". The preparing of the eternal place is not limited to a construction site in heaven. It is taking place right now on earth as it is in heaven. The holy site on earth where this preparation is taking place is not in a building made by human hands but in a temple nonetheless. The preparing of the place is also taking place in the believer. The continued sanctification of the washing of the water of the word takes place within the believer every time the Bible is read, spoken and listened to. This living word is slicing and dicing away all the dross that needs removing in order for the believer to believe in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation and a life of difficulties, trials and tribulations. God has given us exactly what He gave to those disciples that weekend. Living words of love, grace and hope. And He has given us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is at work within you cleaning out all that is unholy and providing comfort in the midst of the storm. Just as it was that weekend for those disciples, a stone will be rolled away and the promise of the word will be as real as the breath in your body. The place will be looking you right in your eyes. The place will take His hands and lovingly wipe away the tears that will be no more. The place isn't just a room in mansion. The place is the person who spoke the words of promise and hope. Anything less would be no place for me.
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