Daily Devotional

Some of you know that I come from a farming background, and I grew up about 18 miles north of Chico, CA in the Sacramento Valley. Both sides of my family were farmers for a number of generations.  My folks moved to the farm where I grew up in December of 1939.  It was the only home I knew growing up. To me that was always home no matter where I lived while going to school or after Lynette and I were married.

In John 14:1–6, Jesus was preparing his disciples for his departure.  They were confused by his words and did not understand that He was about to die.  Jesus wanted to comfort them and reassure them of the hope only God can give.

The hope that Jesus gives through these words to his disciples is not a “I hope it will happen,” but a certain hope that is based on the person and character of Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ promises are the remedy for a heart filled with worry and uncertainty.  Jesus, who is the truth, promises hope beyond this life in the presence of the Father.

Do not let your hearts be troubled…

When we come face to face with death, we see it in one of two ways.  We see it with a troubled heart, or we see it with hope and peace as a “home going.”  A troubled heart is one that is agitated, worried, stirred up, or upset.  Jesus is saying, “Look at the condition of your heart.”  Our heart responds to the death of those we love.  Without hope, we worry but with hope, we grieve our loss with the certain understanding that someday we will be united again with those we love and know the Lord…it is a “home going.”  The world does not really have anything to offer to calm our hearts when they are troubled.  Humanly, we can recognize the condition of our heart but struggle to find any real answers.  The answers to a troubled heart are beyond us and are only found in God Himself.

Believe in God…believe also in Me

Jesus is saying, “Trust in Me…Trust yourself to me…put your confidence in me.”  They were to “keep on believing in God and in Him.”  God is the only One who can bring calm to a troubled heart.

I go to prepare a place for you…

According to Jesus’ words, heaven is a real place.  It is not a product of our imagination.  It is the place where God dwells and Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand.  It is the home of God’s children, and it is a place where we can be at rest.  Jesus is preparing this place for us, and for all who will put their trust in Him as their Savior.

Jesus refers to this place as the “Father’s House.”   It is our heavenly home.  Home is the place where the family lives and interacts on the deepest level.  Home is the place where we are comfortable because it is where we belong and have relationships.  The heavenly Father wants all his children to come home and death ushers us into the Father’s House.  Some day Jesus will open the door and invite us home.  Jesus will open the door for us not based on our merit or worthiness, but because we believed in God and trusted in His Son for our eternal salvation.

Growing up on the farm, I remember us often saying to family when we were out somewhere, “I’ll see you back at the house.”  Family would know where that was.  They belonged there and they knew the way.  

“I am the way, the truth, and the life”

There is only one way of entering the Father’s house.  It is not possible to enter any other way.  The way is not based on human effort but on the grace and mercy of the Lord.  Jesus is the way because He is the truth and because He is the life.  He loved us so much that He took our sin and died in our place on the cross.  Jesus died for our sin and rose again to make the way for us to come into the Father’s house.  We only have to believe He did this on our behalf.  (John 3:16)

“No one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Jesus was emphasizing that He is the only way to come into the Father’s presence…there is no other way.  Today there is only one means of hope and that is found in Jesus Christ.  Maybe you have a troubled heart…one that is filled with uncertainty and worry about the future.  Jesus invites you to believe His promise and have hope for the future that is certain because it is based on the truth of God’s Word and the very person and character of Jesus Christ.

Some day when this life is over we can have a true “home going.”  When that day comes, I can imagine hearing each of us saying, “I’ll see you at the house.”  There is only one way there.  Jesus has made it possible.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for the certain hope we can have as we look at the future. The best is yet to come in our Heavenly Father’s house. Thank you that you have prepared a place for us. We look forward Father to “seeing you at the house.”  Amen

New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation