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I Will Be Back

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Josiah Alipate
Student Ministries Creative Coordinator

"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."  John 14:1-4

Growing up, I remember taking trips to the Costco with my dad. On one occasion while unloading our cart at the checkout line, my dad realized he forgot something from our list. He looked at me and said "Stay here, I’ll be back."

As he left, the conveyor belt seemed to move faster than normal and the amount of time it took for my dad to come back felt like an eternity.

“What do I do if the cashier finishes scanning everything before my dad gets back?”

“Are these people in line going to be mad at me?”

“When is my dad coming back?”

These are all questions that flooded my mind and it caused anxiety, worry and a sense of helplessness. I focused on my dad's absence more than I focused on the words he said to me "Stay here, I'll be back".

It may be safe to say that we can find ourselves in the same position spiritually. We might understand that Jesus will return, but oftentimes in the interim, we can get so focused on His absence that it causes us to forget what He has revealed to us through His word. And when this happens, it causes us to be anxious, worried or feel helpless.

In today's section of scripture, we see Jesus in his final hours preparing His disciples for what's to come. In the midst of the uncertainty ahead, he encourages them to not be troubled. And he comforts them by letting them know that he would be preparing a place for them in his Father's house. He also assures them that he would return by saying the words "I will come again".

The same words that Jesus spoke to His disciples over 2000 years ago, echo through the halls of time and into our hearts today. What remarkable comfort we can have in knowing that Jesus goes before us and is preparing a place for us. That our hearts need not to be troubled because the future glory that is to come in heaven is far greater than anything we could have ever imagined. And in the midst of our circumstance, rather than focusing on His absence we can be reminded of the words He speaks to us loudly and clearly, "I will come again." 

Prayer:  Father, I thank you for the time you take to pour into me and provide me with knowledge and wisdom to navigate this life. I ask that you would help me to shift my focus from the temporal circumstances of this world to the eternal weight of glory that is beyond all comparison. Jesus, reminded me daily that you go before me and prepare a dwelling place for me. And while You may not be here now, your return is imminent. As you prepare a place for me, may I diligently prepare my mind, body and heart for you. Holy Spirit, strengthen me and give me the endurance to continue my pursuit of you daily. I thank you, I love you and I pray these things in the Mighty, Powerful, Wonderful and Matchless name of Jesus. Amen

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