Monday, March 21, 2011
Reading: John 14:1-4
Reflection: There are many things that can trouble one's heart. When a parent's child begins to move in a direction away from faith and toward destruction, the heart of a parent is troubled. When a person's marriage is experiencing strain due to a lack of communication, intimacy or relational unity, the heart of a spouse is troubled. When a man loses his job and is uncertain how he will be able to adequately provide for his family, the heart of a father is troubled. When a child is picked on, bullied, or ignored by peers the heart of a child is troubled. And here, in our passage this morning, we see that when a disciple fears being disconnected personally and/or physically from their master, the heart of a disciple is troubled.
The solution to a troubled heart, at least for the Christian disciple, is an unwavering trust in the promises of God and the person of Jesus. In Jesus, God has kept his promise to come and redeem His people. In Christ, we have the ongoing promise that God will not leave us or forsake us. And now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the very presence of Christ not only with us, but in us. Through the Spirit, Jesus guides, directs, convicts, convinces and encourages the believer. And, as Jesus has promised, one day that spiritual presence will give way to His physical presence when He actually returns for us. It is this promise that allows our troubled hearts to gain peace. So, as I go through the events of this day...when I experience those things that can so easily trouble my heart...I need to choose to trust that the promises of God gained through the person of Jesus are reliable, certain and sure. Jesus is with me now...and will one day also come back for me. This truth, firmly rooted in my heart, can give me peace in the face of very difficult daily realities.
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