March 19: Trust his promises
John 14:1-14 TNIV from Biblegateway.com
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 My Father’s house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, all who have faith in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Devotional Comments:
Jesus’ words give great advice to His followers. “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” At times we are troubled because of our circumstances, but Jesus says we can do something about that. Trust in God who is still in control, who knows what He is doing, who is capable of exercising infinite wisdom, infinite power, and infinite love. If we are to experience peace in the midst of life’s storms we must first trust. This is where we find courage to stand firm in difficult times. Trusting God doesn’t mean we don’t experience pain. It means that we believe God is at work through each situation. To say “God, I don’t understand, but I trust you.”
The disciples were about to witness the crucifixion of their leader, the true Messiah! They would be devastated, but Jesus was telling them ahead of time to believe and trust in Him. He promises them that He is preparing a place for them and that He will return one day. He tells them that there is one way to have a relationship with God and that is through Him. Jesus didn’t expect the disciples to just go off on their own now, but to carry on the work that He had started and to do great things. In verse 14, one more promise, believers can trust Jesus to give them answers to their prayers. Pray with the same passion that Jesus did and God will answer according to His will for His own glory.
The encouraging promises that Jesus gave his disciples the day before He died on the cross are promises for us today if we only believe.
“Father thank you for your word, and that we can read it today. Thank you for your promises that are for us today. Thank you that you love me!
Linda Ray
Pray for the faith to believe in God’s promises.