The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in John 14:27c,
"Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
As Jesus prepared his disciples for his crucifixion, he told them not to be afraid. It may be helpful to think through how we might have felt, as disciples of Jesus, were we to have witnessed first hand what came their way the week Jesus was arrested and crucified. He tells his followers not to worry.
The grounds for Jesus' request of them lay in his promise to them that the Holy Spirit, "the Advocate" would be sent them by the Father when Jesus ascended into heaven. Jesus' disciples would never be left alone and he wanted them to know that.
This comfort is still in place today. We have the Holy Spirit today just as Jesus' earlier disciples had. As such, just as the contemporaries of Jesus had nothing to worry about, we do not as well.
Certainly the Lord was aware of the potential the disciples had for feeling abandoned at his death, burial and ascension into heaven. Today, we look back two millenia and can feel a separation due to the time frame. Add to that, the difficulties the Lord warned us of as we abide in this age and his encouragement to his disciples of the day ring just as true for us today.
We have nothing to fear as we are not separated from the love of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit and we never will be. We belong to a spiritual family that remains connected to heaven itself.
"Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:34-39.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
As Jesus prepared his disciples for his crucifixion, he told them not to be afraid. It may be helpful to think through how we might have felt, as disciples of Jesus, were we to have witnessed first hand what came their way the week Jesus was arrested and crucified. He tells his followers not to worry.
The grounds for Jesus' request of them lay in his promise to them that the Holy Spirit, "the Advocate" would be sent them by the Father when Jesus ascended into heaven. Jesus' disciples would never be left alone and he wanted them to know that.
This comfort is still in place today. We have the Holy Spirit today just as Jesus' earlier disciples had. As such, just as the contemporaries of Jesus had nothing to worry about, we do not as well.
Certainly the Lord was aware of the potential the disciples had for feeling abandoned at his death, burial and ascension into heaven. Today, we look back two millenia and can feel a separation due to the time frame. Add to that, the difficulties the Lord warned us of as we abide in this age and his encouragement to his disciples of the day ring just as true for us today.
We have nothing to fear as we are not separated from the love of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit and we never will be. We belong to a spiritual family that remains connected to heaven itself.
"Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:34-39.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment