Prepare a Place
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In 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? 3 And 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. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." - John 14:1-7
Many of us have probably gotten a campsite ready before: setting up the tent, pulling out the cooler, and making sure there’s plenty of firewood prepared. It’s hard work, but the joy of it being the perfect place for those we love makes it worth it. Recently, God brought this promise of Jesus to mind: “I go and prepare a place for you."
In this passage, Jesus is once again attempting to prepare the disciples for His death, burial and resurrection. He reminds them that when trouble comes, they will need to stand firm and avoid worrying. Notice, He doesn’t remove the trouble, but He gives them instructions to not give in to fear in the midst of trouble by remembering who He is: the Son of God. Because of the character of God and His Son, we have no need to fear.
Jesus then gives them hope for the future. When trouble comes, it’s helpful to look ahead and trust God that this too shall pass. He gives promises for the future, that He is preparing a place for us in the new heavens and the new earth. AND, just like He came back from the grave, He will come again so that where He is, there we may be also.
And finally, we can get to that place where Jesus is right now by living out the life He has called us to: being active witnesses of Him in the world around us. As the Spirit lives and works through us, we bring the very presence of God to those around us: the Light into the darkness. And one day, we will be fully where He is in the very place He is currently preparing for us for eternity.
Since I work at a summer camp, we've been spending hours preparing the camp's grounds as well as praying for our summer staff as they prepare to welcome campers. Similarly, the crew at Loon has been preparing for Summer Mountaintop Services and Dirt Church—preparing a place for them to encounter Jesus...the Way, the Truth and absolutely the Life!
In what ways does it help or challenge you to think of all this work, the preparation, hard and easy, big and small, serious and fun, as preparing the people around you to encounter Jesus?