“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” –John 14:1-4
Last week at crew we were discussing this passage (if you were in a NBNL crew, you likely did the same). My friend across the room started talking about her daughter coming home for a visit. She explained how she was arranging a room for her daughter. There would be decorations and all sorts of personal touches. Certain photos would find themselves in just the right place while a vase of favorite flowers would beam from a small table. Scripture, handwritten on cards, would encourage her daughter’s every moment.
Have you ever decorated a room for someone special? If you have, you know exactly what she’s talking about. It could have been for your daughter or son. It may have been for your grandparent or favorite aunt. You might have put some of their preferred things (like books or a painting or a photograph) in the room.
When we refocus the scriptural emphasis from, “I am going to prepare…” and place it on “for you” things get very personal don’t they? We are reminded that it isn’t just Jesus’ universal preparation of heaven for His bride, the Church. It’s also Jesus’ preparation of a room uniquely arranged “for you.” Take a few minutes right now and imagine what that room might look like. Imagine all the care He has put into every detail. You will certainly be thinking, “I can’t believe You know me this well!” Imagine the laughter as you see Jesus smiling towards the R2D2 Star Wars figure you’d lost in 2nd grade but now sits on the wooden nightstand.
We take care when we do preparations. Don’t we know that Jesus will take even greater care as He creates a space for those that He loves and with who He wants to spend eternity?