Pondering John 13:34-14:1.
The day my daughter began her senior year of high school, I had a moment of panic. I realized I had less than a year to teach her everything she needed to know so she could navigate through life without parents nearby.
I promptly began a crash course on table manners. Every time her elbow landed on the dining table, I thumped her funny bone. She didn’t find it amusing in the least. I became the grammar police, correcting any inappropriately used adjective, adverb and pronoun. And every school day, she would open her lunch bag and discover snippets of wisdom enclosed.
Similarly, perhaps Jesus glanced at His beloved friends and felt the urgency to spend His last hours teaching and preparing them for life without His tangible presence.
My daughter‘s plan for her senior year was a little different than mine. She wanted to spend every available moment with her friends. This very special group of 30+ teenagers loved each other well. They accepted one another, recognizing each was unique. They protected each other. And they laughed a lot. After graduating, they spent every summer evening together. Fully aware that they would be scattering in different directions and life would forever change, they began fervently clinging to their friendship.
I think my daughter had it right. Time with her friends was precious. It is likely that Jesus wanted to enjoy every last minute possible with those He knew loved Him.
Jesus assured His disciples that while He would be leaving them, they would follow later. Peter boldly responded, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus knew spoken promises flow much easier than the commitment to honor our vows. I think it was in His kindness, He informed Peter that before the rooster crowed, Peter would disown Jesus three times. Jesus knew Peter well. He knew his strengths and his weaknesses. And He knew He would be able to do great things through Peter’s brokenness and failures.
Jesus quickly followed His warnings with the directive, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
Just as Jesus’ disciples needed to be comforted because of their uncertainty and fears, we desperately need to hear the same assurance today. Anxiety levels have reached a new high. What is our future? Are we safe? What consequences will result from our choices? Are our relationships secure? So many questions. So much uncertainty.
We are told to not allow our hearts be troubled. But how? What is the remedy for sickness of heart? Jesus tells us it is faith. It is surrendering our concerns and fears to His capable hands and trusting Him.
I know it isn’t easy. Trust and surrender are challenging. Letting go of control is difficult. It requires that we release our desire to write the end of the story the way we think is best. But I am convinced that when we face the worst possible scenario head on and trust the One who loves us passionately and wants the best for us, God can supernaturally transform our fears into peace. I can’t explain it but I’ve experienced it. A surrendered spirit can’t be manufactured by grit and determination. But it can be pursued if we press into God’s faithfulness.
Trust and surrender are possible when one focuses on who God is, ponders His attributes, talks honestly to Him and remembers all He has done. It’s humbling but it also creates a heart of gratitude. And super-naturally, worries that revolve around the seemingly impossible transform into worship of the One who can do the impossible. Because He is good, we can trust that everything He does is good.
Questions to ponder:
When am I allowing my heart to be troubled?
Where do I struggle to trust God?
What do I need to surrender?
debponders 