“Let not your heart be troubled; you 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.” John 14:1,2
What is a troubled heart but one that is overwhelmed by that which is beyond its capacity to understand, endure, or live in peace. It is one where the things of this world, whether circumstances, people, or just the consciousness of one’s own need, is very overwhelming. In many instances, the assessment of things as “they are” is overwhelming. And yet, there stood one upon this earth, in all humility and lowliness, who had no house nor home, nowhere to lay His head, and yet possessing all power and authority, who would quietly, and graciously say: “Let not your heart be troubled.” How could He say this, and why?
The Lord Jesus never called men to faith without revealing to them something of His nature, character, and Person. He would always give them a basis, a reason for their faith in Him. Even with a cloud of apprehension in the heart of the Apostle Peter, after learning by the Lord’s own words, that he would betray him three times, Jesus calmly, and yet, in full assurance of faith and quiet authority would tell His disciples to not be anxious or have a troubled heart. The reason for His call to them to believe was the revelation again of who He was. He declared to them, “In My Father’s house are many mansions.” (Jn. 14:1) Jesus reveals to the disciples that He is the Son of the Father, and that the Father is God. Because of the overwhelming revelation of the Father in heaven, and His house or dwelling, temple, which is everlasting, and in which every believer will one day well, the call comes clear to believe in that which is far greater, and more sure, than anything of this earth. The vision of the greatness, and eternity of the Father, and now, His Son standing before the disciples, provides for Christ’s followers all they need to know at that time in order to trade the littleness of their troubled hearts, to launch out afresh into the vast wonder of the loving, sovereign grace of God, where the certainty of things promised will be realized fully, regardless of the weakness and frailty of men.
God will bring about His perfect will and purpose. The simple, but great words of Christ’s assurance to the disciples comes with the knowledge that Jesus cannot lie. It is for this reason that He said to them, “If it were not so, I would have told you.”(14:2) Jesus’ words of comfort and strength come from a heart that is divine, incapable of telling a lie, yet given in the warm assurance of the love of God, seeking to dispel all apprehension in the face of every eventuality, however difficult and hard it may be to accept it. This Christ stands before them, in frail human flesh as his disciples are, declaring to them as clearly as is possible to declare: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.” (14:6) In that declaration Christ reveals both the simplicity of Who He is, and yet the eternal complexity of the enormous grace and mercy of God. Before them stands the promised, eternal Word…the living Word. God in Christ stands before them in human flesh, declaring to them the reason for which there is no cause to fear, or be anxious. Because of His Love, they can trust Him. Because of His power and authority, they can cast away all the anxiety of a troubled heart.
It was to Isaiah the prophet, hundreds of years before Christ was born in Bethlehem, that God would communicate a similar message in the form of a song: “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You. Because he trusts in You.” (Is. 26:3) Jesus called His disciples to believe in Him. In Isaiah’s day, He did the same.
Dear Father, Be our blessed peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.