MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS BAILEY- “KNICKERS IN A WAD”
JOHN 14:1 “LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED”
I gotta admit the Monday night news kinda had me rattled. The government was “shut down” (even my mother was telling me the Smokey Mountain visitor center was closed and also the Blue Ridge Parkway) Then the Food Stamp debacle on the north shore. I went to bed contemplating for the millionth time about my 401k’s and my house debt! Oh Brother!
My knickers were getting all in a wad for sure! The disciples were probably not too excited either when Jesus told them, “he must needs go away”. Peter was still dazed and confused about some cock crowing story.
But Jesus mentions another world far far away from all the government strife, food stamp wars, Obama care gridlock and whatever may be your problem at the moment. Christ has a plan, He always does! He encourages us to not be troubled. The word TROUBLED in greek is- tarassestho. Be not so troubled as to be put into a hurry and confusion, like the troubled sea when it cannot rest. He does not say, “Let not your hearts be sensible of the griefs, or sad because of them” but, “Be not ruffled and discomposed, be not cast down and disquieted.” (Barnes) It will be up to us to watch over our heart, to cause it to be still in the storms of life. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life” In other-words keep possession of your own souls when you can keep possession of nothing else. “The heart is the main fort; whatever you do, keep trouble from this, keep this with all diligence. The spirit must sustain the infirmity!” (Simpson)
Jesus was telling the disciples and us we will just have to “believe”. To Believe in the Greek is pisteuete: Spurgeon says we have to “believe in God and his perfections and providence. Build with confidence upon the great acknowledged principles of natural religion: that there is a God, that he is most holy, wise, powerful, and good; that he is the governor of the world, and has the sovereign disposal of all events.”
Christ also begins to speak about heaven. In Ps.11:4, “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.” There are mansions there, distinct dwellings, an apartment for each. Spurgeon even says, “In heaven there are accommodations for particular saints; though all shall be swallowed up in God, yet our individuality shall not be lost there; every Israelite had his lot in Canaan, and every elder his seat. The house itself is lasting; our estate in it is not for a term of years, but a perpetuity. Here we are as in an inn; in heaven we shall gain a settlement. The disciples had quitted their houses to attend Christ, who had not where to lay his head, but the mansions in heaven will make them amends.”
I am glad I gave the “keys to the car” over to Christ a long, long time ago. He has a place just for me! Whoo Hoo! Now I can go to sleep! haha——