My Final Home

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1-7 ESV).

Well, we are getting closer each day to finishing our house in Texas! We’re doing work on the inside and out. This week we should see the electrical finished up and the painting done on the inside; and, brick goes up in the next few days. While building a home can often be frustrating and difficult, we have been very fortunate that there have been very few problems. We are actually a little ahead of schedule! To say we are excited about getting moved in is certainly an understatement. However, if I have learned anything through all of our years of moving from one place to another in ministry, it is that this home too is temporary. The home the Lord is building for me is my permanent residence. That is the incredible message of our reading today. The disciples were shaken and unsure of the future. They had left everything they knew or had in order to follow Jesus. Now they were looking at what they believed to be the end of their grand adventure. As far as they knew nothing had been accomplished and their efforts were all for nothing. They had done some good in some individual situations. They had fed thousands, healed many, and brought peace to people who knew no peace. However, that was all going to end with the death of their leader. To their fears and uncertainty Jesus simply says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” He wanted his followers and friends to understand his death signaled the beginning not the end. He was going to die in order to give them a real home, one that would last forever. And, he wanted them to know he would be the one to lead us all the way back to our perfectly prepared home. Never again will we face the elements, the enemies that harass, or the fears that intimidate. We shall forevermore be treated by our great God and Father as his sons and daughters. When our faith gives way to sight, the trust that lies at the heart of faith will be complete. Don’t lose sight of that great day. We are only struggling momentarily here and now; we will forever be free then and there. That’s some good news!