02.07.12 “Love cultivates trust”

Scripture Reading: John 14:1-7

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

5 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 knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

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Reflection Questions

Last week in our reflection from Paul’s words in Romans 8, we made this observation, “There is a limited amount of space in our hearts. The amount that is inhabited by fear limits the amount that can be occupied by love. Our need for control is a by- product of that fear.” In today’s reading, Jesus addresses that which love brings to fruition in our lives. While fear produces a need for control, love cultivates trust.

• In verses 2-4, Jesus provides a concrete example of something we can trust Jesus to do. What is it? What significance and meaning should this have for us? How is the act Jesus refers to in these verses an expression of God’s love?
• How does Jesus respond when Thomas asks Jesus to clarify “the way” the disciples must go to get to “the place where [Jesus] is going?”

Weekly Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at
a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.