Rest!

Rest!

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

John 14:1 KJV

Context:

The Word of God was made flesh, and dwelt among men. He came like man, so he could feel what man felt; he walked in our shoes, enduring the cold and heat, hunger and thirst that we all feel, so he could offer us hope that in and by him, we could face whatever challenges would come our way. He is God, yet he left all his glory in heaven, so he could identify with us, offer us salvation from sin and its consequences, and then guarantee us eternal life with him in heaven, when this earthly phase is over. I am not sure that there is an offer that can beat this, or if anyone can guarantee all that the life of Jesus has settled for us. 

It is in that light that today's extract makes sense. You do not get half-measures; you get the full package of all that Jesus is. Today's extract is taken from one of the final words of encouragement by Jesus to his disciples, just before he went to the cross. Of course, the disciples were troubled; how could a man who they had seen raise the dead and reverse the impossible then submit to dying? And not even an ordinary, respectable dying, but a death on a cross, which the Jews knew was a curse. How could the one they called Lord subject himself to that? That is why the way of the cross is foolishness to the natural man; for those who have seen the benefits of the cross, you can only be eternally grateful.

Message and Response:

It takes a heart that is under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit to live in the now. Today's extract is a reminder of that truth. When Jesus told his disciples to set their hearts at rest and not be troubled, they surely had no idea what he was talking about. The events around his betrayal and death show that the hearts of the disciples were certainly not at peace. The bible records that when Judas came with his band, all the disciples forsook him and fled. Even Peter, who later followed at a distance, denied knowing who Jesus was at the time. Are you going through tough and challenging times now? Hear God's Word again today: Let not your heart be troubled.

Easier said than done, right? Situations will arise that will test the quality of your faith in God; at no time does Jesus ever promise that you will have things easy and smooth. However, from today's extract, it is clear that my worry cannot stop what God has planned, and my fretting cannot change that which God intends to use to build me up. If there was no need for fear, Jesus would not speak the words of today's extract. If there was no risk of worry, I would not need the daily reassurance of God's presence. As I read the words, I am reminded that I am better off trusting in God than worrying about the unknown. Worry does not give you any hope about tomorrow; it only robs you of the joy of today.

For the disciples, they had no problem believing in God. The typical Jew was brought up to know God's law as taught by Moses. Maybe the disciples knew about God, but I am sure they could not fathom how a mortal man like Jesus standing before them could claim to be God. We are comfortable around the familiar; we do not like things that we do not understand. God invites us to a new level of experience, where we get a daily reminder of his power and grace, and we get to depend on him on a daily basis for all that we need. We find the answers to all of life's questions in Jesus; just as the disciples had Jesus with them, so do we have the presence of God in us, providing the assurance we need that all will end well.

God can only keep safe that which has been entrusted into his care. He does not go against the exercise of my freewill. If I surrender to him, I get all of him. If I hold on to certain areas of my life, I cannot turn around and blame him for how my life turns out. If I will be free of worry, my heart must be fixed on something else. If it is fixed on God, there is no room for worry. If it is not fixed on God, then there is plenty of room for other considerations. After all, Jesus came to offer me a way back to God. His life secures my own life. His victory over sin and death offers me hope about today and tomorrow. Have you met this Jesus? Does he know you as his own? Have you received the life of Jesus, the life that protects from worry and uncertainty? in Jesus lies the solution to worry. Know Jesus; know life. No Jesus; no life. His time of favour is here.