“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4
Have you ever heard these words “It’s not you…it’s me” spoken to you? If you have, it was probably not an enjoyable moment. I was thinking about that phrase and considered how many times our Heavenly Father has spoken that phrase to me…or us. Too often we are all caught up in ourselves and what we have acquired; fame, fortune and relationships. And God nudges us an reminds us “it’s not about you…it’s all about ME”. It is sad but way too often we are so full of ourselves and our stuff that there is no room left for Him; we have crowded Him out of our lives. Yesterday we just received a new round of ‘stuff’ for His birthday and it should keep us satisfied for a while. A few days ago Max Lucado shared the following short devotion on Facebook and it reminded me of Who my life should be all about. “Some of the saddest words on earth are we don’t have room for you. Jesus knew the sounds of those words. He was still in Mary’s womb when the innkeeper said, “We don’t have room for you.” And when He hung on the cross, wasn’t the message one of utter rejection? We don’t have room for you in this world. Today Jesus is given the same treatment. He goes from heart to heart, asking if He might enter. Every so often, He’s welcomed. Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites Him to stay. And to that person Jesus gives this great promise, “In my Father’s house are many rooms…” We make room for Him in our hearts. And Jesus makes room for us in His house!” It’s not all about me or you because it is all about Him. I am closing today with the words to the song ‘In my Father’s Place’ that were arranged and sung by Elvis Presley.
“In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not true he would have told me so. He has gone away to live in that bright city; He's preparing me a mansion there I know. Jesus died upon the cross to bear my sorrow, freely died that souls like you might have new life. But I know that soon there'll come a bright tomorrow when the world will all be free from sin and strife. Do not shun the Saviors love, from up in glory; or you won't be there to sing the gospel story. In my Father's house are many mansions; if you're true then to this land you'll surely go.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay