Troubled hearts are not unfamiliar to Jesus. He knows what it is like to face uncertainty, fear, and questions about the future, and He meets us there with an invitation to relationship.
This week, Carolyn Miller took us into John 14, where Jesus comforts His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion. As they wrestled with the news that He was leaving, Jesus assured them that they did not need to be troubled. He was making a way for them to know the Father, not just someday in heaven, but through a relationship with Him today. As Jesus declared, "I am the way, the truth and the life."
Carolyn reminded us that God is relational by nature. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in perfect relationship, and through Jesus we are invited into that same relationship. Jesus calls us to know Him personally, to walk in His presence, receive His comfort, and be strengthened by the Holy Spirit every day.
We were encouraged to consider what healthy relationship with Jesus looks like. Like any meaningful relationship, it grows through presence, empathy, honesty, and vulnerability. Jesus knows us completely, sees us individually, and invites us to bring our whole selves to Him. As we learn to receive His love, we become people who are better able to love those around us with the same grace, patience, and compassion.
This message was a reminder that we are never just one face in the crowd. Jesus sees you. He knows you. He is with you.
