Lord's Day Devotion - Let NOT (John 14:1-21 ESV)

 

Despite the Passover Feast festivities Jesus was sharing with His disciples, there was a somberness in the air.  There was the unprecedented actions of Jesus washing the disciples feet.  There was Jesus telling them that one among them would betray Him.  Then He's telling them He's going away.  

His conversation is that of a farewell speech, which must have been as unsettling as it was puzzling.  He gives them "a new commandment" to love one another in such a way that it would show they were His disciples.

They want to know where He is going and got an answer that spoke mystery, at least to them.  He said He was going where they could not follow (see John 13).

Then we come to John 14 and if you read verse 1 through 20, a sense of comfort despite the uncertainty filters through.  And Jesus told them,

"Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God, believe also in me" (John 14:1 ESV).

"Troubled" being:  sad, gloomy, anxious, miserable, anxious, filled with worry, and depression.  These feelings can eat a person alive.  But Jesus cautions,

 "let NOT your hearts be troubled'  (emphasis mine).

He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life".  It is in and through Him we have the way to peace of mind.  The times were only going to get more intense for the disciples.  Jesus' arrest was imminently on the horizon unbeknownst to them; death on the cross; and the missing body from His tomb.  They were indeed exceedingly troubled by all that.  But Jesus rose from the dead,  appeared to them and ascended to Heaven.  Nevertheless they rejoiced and worshiped their Master and Saivor Jesus.

From reading the book of Acts and through the epistles that follow, one learns of the severe persecution that came to them.  Troubled times indeed!

No doubt Jesus' words came back to them to believe in God and Jesus; to trust Him even through all the storms, trials and tribulations.  In our day, difficulites such as loss of a baby, costly vehicle repairs when one depends on that vehicle to conduct business, wondering where the next paycheck will come from and more, can really cast one down.  Yet I'd like to think the simple command, 

"let NOT your hearts be troubled" 

swirled through their minds once again.

These are steadying words that we too can capitalize on in our day and age ..

As we reach for the broken bread and wine this Lord's Day in remembrance of these things Jesus had done for us, let's say together,

"Thank You, Jesus!"

and trust Him.  Let NOT your hearts be troubled.

Amen.

                                                 ~ ERC October 2025 ~

Based on John 14:1-20 ESV.

Sing, John 14 More Than Enough Room, along with Bible in Song Project of Love.