Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:1-3.
When Christ lay in the tomb, His disciples called to mind these words. They pondered over them, and wept because they could not fathom the meaning of them. No faith and hope relieved the brokenhearted disciples. They could only repeat the words, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself. . . .”
Mansions are prepared for all who have subjected themselves in obedience to the divine law. And in order that the human family might have no excuse because of Satan’s temptations, Christ became one with them. The only Being who was one with God lived the law in humanity, descended to the lowly life of a common laborer, and toiled at the carpenter’s bench with His earthly parent. He lived the life which He requires of all who claim to be His children. Thus was cut off the powerful argument of Satan that God required of humanity a self-denial and subjection that He would not Himself render. . . .
Jesus asks no more of men than that they shall follow in His footsteps. He was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, but for our sakes He became poor that we through His poverty might be made rich. Almost His last words to us are, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” In the place of being sorrowful, your hearts troubled, you should rejoice. I came into the world for your sakes. My time here is now accomplished. I shall henceforth be in heaven. For your sakes I have been an interested worker in the world. In the future I shall be engaged just as devotedly in a more important work in your behalf. I came into the world to redeem you. I go to prepare an abiding place for you in My Father’s kingdom.
What a comfort these words should be to us! Think of the work Christ is now doing in heaven–preparing mansions for His children. He wants us to prepare to dwell in these mansions.
That I May Know Him p. 363
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Prayer Requests
—–Please keep Tom in prayer. His right eye is hemorrhaging inside. Also tomorrow is the procedure on his back. Please pray that God will guide the doctor’s hands. Mary
—– Prayers for a friend that is dying and for her husband and family. Yolande
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Dear Friends,
When I was about seven, my family visited Mrs. Slack who lived on a farm. When her children were young, my mother had spent many happy hours there. Now she was elderly, her children far away, and she lived alone except for two hired hands who lived on the property. While the adults talked, I was allowed to go with one of the hired hands to see the animals. He led me to a brown and white spotted calf that was not more than a few days old. It was a thrill for me. Suddenly the thrill turned to shock mixed with a little fear. That calf had wrapped his sandpaper-like tongue around my thumb and tried to nurse. The hired hand laughed and explained what the calf was doing. It was my turn to laugh, but my laughter was tinged with sadness as I thought of how disappointed the calf must be not to get any milk from my thumb.
How often we are like that calf. We try the various pleasures of this life, but they are as empty and unsatisfying as was my thumb so many years ago. We go from one thing to another, looking for something that will fill the longing of our heart, but nothing does. Isaiah asks the question, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Is 55:2,3,1
Thank God we do not have to stay empty! Thank God He has provided the way. The Loving Redeemer wants to fill us up to overflowing with His love. Indeed, we are created with a longing within our heart that we may seek for a close and loving relationship with our Great Creator. He assures us, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13 He alone can satisfy the longing of our soul. With Moses we can pray, “O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Ps 90:14 Isaiah gives us greater insight into the satisfaction of serving our Great Creator: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Is 58:6-11
David sang, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Ps 103:2-5
May we find our happiness and fulfillment in our Dear Saviour’s love. May we be complete in Him. May we daily give ourselves fully to Him, to be used by Him to share His salvation with those about us is my prayer.
Rose