“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

John 14:1-14

Dear God, I cannot imagine how confusing it must have been to be a disciple following Jesus in that moment. I mean, it seems to me that Jesus was always the one with the questions to which no one but him knew the answers. I do not like situations like that. I have the advantage of reading all of this in retrospect. In the moment, I would have been totally confused, and I suspect I would have just left.

That being said, I am grateful I am on this side of things with this perspective on you. There is still so much happening around me that I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you are working in the lives of those I love. I don’t understand where I country is heading in terms of politics, international affairs, or even how social media is feeding conspiracy theories. I don’t understand so much, but I know that I don’t have to worry about how this all ends.

Father, this chapter starts with, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” So I will be at peace. I’m sorry for having trouble setting aside time to spend with you in prayer like this. I have excuses, but the sum total of them still don’t add up to a reasonable explanation. I’ve made choices, and I’m sorry. I will follow you on this way. I will go where you go. My hope, joy, and peace are in you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen