5. He prepares a place for us
| "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 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. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John14:1-6) |
Imagine the picture Jesus is sketching for us here:
It's the picture of an innkeeper or housewife preparing a place for a special guest. It's an intimate and personal action.
Heaven is not about "becoming one with the cosmic consciousness" - the picture Jesus paints is of a place of being where individual attention is paid, where people matter and troubled hearts can be comforted.
To take this a little further:
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords has ascended into heaven and took His seat at the right hand of God, but when Steven was being tried by the Pharisees and about to be stoned we see something very special: "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." (Acts7:55)
Why is Jesus standing?
Maybe it's because He's just come back from preparing Stephen's room...
So.....
"Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John14:27)
