John 14:1-14 (NRSV)
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Chapter 14"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. Verse 2In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? Verse 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
Verse 4And you know the way to the place where I am going." Verse 5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Verse 6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Verse 7If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Verse 8Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Verse 9Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Verse 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Verse 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.
Verse 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Verse 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Verse 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
Devotion
“Do not let your hearts be troubled” should be words of comfort for us all. But oftentimes we wonder, “How can we not grow anxious in these uncertain and changing times?”
In our world today, there are so many people who carry around troubled hearts. It is easy to see how, isn’t it? Surrounded by conflict, economic stresses, illness, hurt and anxiety, the weight of the world can seem very, very heavy at times. Yet Jesus promises us that God’s presence and our future as children of God remains secure. Jesus’ words from John’s Gospel remind us that our faith doesn’t take away the things in life that challenge us, but it helps us to discern how we will respond to those challenges. This is our reminder that Jesus Christ is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” that guides us in our grace-filled relationship with God. We trust that God will be present with us as we walk through the troubles and the valleys, bringing love, mercy, and hope to all the world.
Prayer
You are the only Way, O God. You are the house where our faith dwells. We learn from you to respond to all situations with hope, trusting that you are guiding us always. Amen.
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