John 14:3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
What an amazing, incredible encouragement these words must have been to the disciples —and to us. He told them he was going someplace to which they could not go at that time, but He wasn’t going to be apart from them for good. The place He was going to prepare made it possible for Jesus to come be with them again. And in coming to be with them, He would receive them (us) to Himself. Jesus even gave them the purpose for His going away. The place Jesus was going to prepare was going to make it possible for them to be present with Him wherever He was present. This reality is stunning. For the disciples, Jesus was speaking of something to be done and experienced in the future. But for us, this is a present ongoing reality and experience. Jesus has come to be with us! He is the resurrection and the Life. We have been received by Jesus because everything that could separate us from His love and prevent our union with Him was removed at the cross in His substitutionary death. Wherever Jesus wishes to go in this world to love for the glory God, we may go with Him. At any given moment in history, Jesus is loving people with and through each of His own. Jesus has begun to explain to His disciples and to us how it is possible that they can love one another even as He loves them. He comes into us. We become one with Him. We are as He is in this world. Now that’s a great encouragement to believe in Jesus and not let your heart be troubled today.
Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com
