Before He Went Away, part 1

Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

John 14:1 NKJV 

Hello, from East Texas. This is Elizabeth Baker hoping to share a bit of encouragement with fellow writers as we explore what many call, The Upper Room Discourse. From now through Easter, this blog will highlight scattered fragments of what Jesus said in those last few hours before his death. I trust we’ll find fresh insight to the promises he shared with his disciples that night and our hope will grow one step stronger.

Last minute instructions. Goodbye endearments. Farewell speeches. Final words before death. We place a lot of value on what someone says in their last moments with us. The pressure of parting brings important things to the surface while the extraneous is stripped away and the few things we really want others to remember take center stage. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised that John spent almost one forth of his gospel [1] describing the last six hours Jesus spent with those he loved before crucifixion tore them apart.

From sundown until just after midnight, Jesus shared his last meal with the disciples and took a walk with them through a garden. He must have had much on his mind, but two themes keep recurring in John’s record; assurance of his love and encouragement to trust God’s wisdom no matter how hopeless the situation might look from earth’s view.

Early that night, Jesus looked at the confused, weary friends gathering around him and said, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” He even repeated the words twice so he must have been especially intent on them getting the point. [2] No matter what happened, they must never “let” their heart be troubled.

Have you ever wonder how we could possibly choose whether or not to be troubled? I always felt trouble came to find me and my choice had little to do with it. Yet, Jesus said we should not “let” our heart go that direction.

Part of the mystery resolves when we understand what Jesus meant by “troubled.” The word he used is not what we think of as concerned or even worried but to struggle with unsure connections; to be agitated, shifting, or rootless. We “let” ourselves be “troubled” when we have a choice of clinging to our trust in God’s character and power or letting our hand slip away as we grab for things of earth searching for security.

For example, we “let” our heart be troubled when financial pressures mount and we either ignore his instruction of good stewardship or thrash about for earthly solutions ignoring the fact that he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. We “let” our heart when we mentally strip God of any resource for “practical” help with daily issues. We can’t choose whether storms will come. We can’t choose which emotions we will or won’t feel. But we can choose our hope.

As we face a new year, listen to the news, grow a year older, watch the economy, or rehearse the many ways things can grow wrong in life, don’t forget: You can “let” not your heart be troubled if you will choose to keep your eyes on him.

 [1] John 13:1-18:1 approximately 6 pm to midnight.  [2] John 14:1; 14:27

Comments

[Heather Marsten]

This is a great post. My pastor reminds us there are 365 passages in the Bible that tell us not to worry. He also gives a solution when our hearts are troubled. He calls it the law of substitution. You cannot think two thoughts simultaneously. Therefore, when worrying about something, pick a Bible verse or passage and read it aloud, think about it, muse about it - if you are doing that, your worry thoughts can't manifest. One of my favorite songs is "Say the Name of Jesus" so if we do that, again there is no room for worry.

Thanks for a thought-provoking post.

Heather