Corona Devo 683

 It's been almost two years since my Gramma passed away but I regularly reflect on my last visit and conversation with her...and her response. 

What message can we share with someone who is dying?

The answer is...The exact same message that we share with someone who is living: The message of Jesus.  His offer of salvation, His command to follow His commands, His promise of the Father's love and of eternity with them, if we will accept. 

That's the message for us today, for newborn babies arriving in this world, and for those knocking on death's door.

God's message is always the same. 

Our acceptance or rejection of God's "message" and entering into a relationship with His Son will define our eternity.  The entire Bible is filled with examples, historical accounts and invitations for us to receive that message.

The scriptures (John 14:1-27) that I shared with my Gramma in the days before she died tell the account of the message that Jesus shared with His disciples in the days before He died (on the cross for our sins). 

His message and His death bring each of us life. 

Life, hope, and purpose for our "today", and eternal life, comfort and peace in our eternal "tomorrow".

Perhaps someone you love is dying.  Perhaps the fear of dying has (almost) stopped you from living.  Perhaps (and most certainly) we will all die.  God's message is the same regardless of the timing, situation, or the person.

Jesus has a message for us. 

He has a house for us.  He even has a room for each of us in His house.

(Hint: His "house" is Heaven and our "room" is our place in Heaven with Him.)

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? (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. (John 14:2-3)

Jesus tells us how to get to His "house": by believing in Him and putting our faith in Him (alone).(Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ~John 14:6)

It is in our human nature to think/believe/worry/fret that we are not prepared to go to heaven with Jesus.  We feel inept, unprepared, or uneducated, regardless of where we are in our "spiritual walk" or how long we have "known" Jesus.  Thomas (one of Jesus' disciples) felt that way too, but Jesus reminded him and He reminds us that if we will trust in Him and His Father, and keep their commands, our "room" is secure in their "house". 

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.  (7) If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”  ~John 14:5-7

Phillip was in direct contact and discipleship with Jesus and still missed-the-mark on completely understanding the message of Jesus. 

So, Jesus gave him (and us!) a hint. 

(Hint: The Holy Spirit is our hint to Jesus and God.)

(15) “If you love me, keep my commands. (16) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— (17) the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (18) I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (19) Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (20) On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (21) Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”... 

(23) Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (24) Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

(25) “All this I have spoken while still with you. (26) But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (27) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  ~John  14:15-21, 23-27

Here's a hint--The message of Jesus is the same today as it was 2,000 years ago, and it offers life to us who will believe.

Life today, and after-life tomorrow.

I shared John 14 with my Gramma in the hopes that she would get the hint of a room that God had in His house for her.

Only God knows the hearts of men and women and the decisions we have made for Him.  But I will never forget her last words and response to me as I said "Good bye" to catch my flight home.  She was hugging a teddy bear that I had given her and she rocked back and forth in her bed, repeating the same word over and over: "Happy, happy, happy."

The good/the hope/the encouragement that others see in us is only a hint of the good/the hope/the life/and the peace that God has for those that believe in Him. 

That's the message of Jesus. 

May we be where He is while we are living and after.

I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ( John 14:3)

He has a room prepared for you and me.

What is our response to that truth?  Doesn't it make you Happy, happy, happy?

Blessings, 

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com