Peace I Give You

Jesus taught us, saying: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me. You trust in God, trust also in me.  John 14:1

This is not some la-de-da walk-in-the-park moment.  This is just after Jesus offered up the bread and wine and explained, “This is my body and this is my bread.”  And then he says, “One of you is going to betray me.”  And then He finishes with old Peter.  “Not only am I going where you will not be able to follow, but you are going to deny me three times before the cock crows.”  And all of us who have lived with chickens know that is going to happen very soon, way before dawn.  The dark is very dark indeed.  Pretty much all of the disciples’ hopes and dreams and understandings of the past three years were crumbling before their eyes.

And Jesus himself is troubled. 

Yet he commands them to not be troubled. Present subjunctive with the negative indicating the stopping of an action in progress. "Stop it. Stop it now! Stop being troubled in your heart."

You all trust God.  The Maker of the Universe.  The Glory and Holiness.  Who has shown Himself with both the spans of heaven and fist of a tiny newborn.  Nice and Abstract and Big and Revealed. 

Now trust Me.  That I am the LORD God Almighty among men.  That who He is has been lived among you for these three years. Me, Jesus, your Friend and Teacher and Healer.  Trust in me.  As everything crumbles around you, chose to take control of your thoughts and emotions and trust me. 

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.

This doesn’t mean that things are going to be easy, tonight or whenever. A little later that night He says just the opposite. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

Life is hard, but I am trustworthy. 

Do not be troubled.