Hope in the Face of Discouragement
I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. John 14:18-20, RSV.
By this time even the dullest of the disciples knew that something terrible was about to happen to Jesus, and, by extension to them. After all, their well-being was totally tied to Jesus. They had given up all for Him. And now all He could talk about were foreboding topics that led nowhere but to death on a cross. That was hardly their view of Messiahship. And it was certainly not their understanding of the "benefit" for giving up all for this charismatic teacher. At no time since they began to follow Him had things looked so dim and hopeless.
It is in that context that Jesus said that He would not leave them desolate. "Desolate" is an interesting word. It translates the Greek orphanos, from which we get the word "orphan." Thus the New King James Version is quite correct with its translation that "I will not leave you orphans." With that thought Jesus is right back to John 14:1 with its "Let not your heart be troubled." "I am coming back for you," He asserted in verses 2 and 3. But that coming back would be at His second advent at the end of time.
John 14:18, however, presents a much immediate coming. In a little while the world (those who cared nothing for Him or His message) would see Him no longer because of His death and burial. But "you," He tells the disciples, "will see me." And they did after His resurrection. As a result, they would not be orphaned at two levels. First, He would see them again after three days in the grave. And second, through the gift of the "Helper" or "Comforter" He would be with them as they faced the world without His physical presence.
But His promise is better than merely not being left desolate. "Because I live,: He promised His followers, "you will also." One of the highest points of the gospel of Jesus is that He will share His victory over death with each of His followers.
These snapshots of discipleship are important for me in my own Christian walk. There are days when I feel desolate, hopeless, and forsaken. That's the bad news. But the good news is that I am not the orphan I feel like. I have a heavenly Father, a risen Lord, a powerful Helper, and the guarantee of life everlasting. I may be tempted today to let discouragement get the best of me. But what I need is to turn my eyes again to the realities I have in Jesus.
I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. John 14:18-20, RSV.
By this time even the dullest of the disciples knew that something terrible was about to happen to Jesus, and, by extension to them. After all, their well-being was totally tied to Jesus. They had given up all for Him. And now all He could talk about were foreboding topics that led nowhere but to death on a cross. That was hardly their view of Messiahship. And it was certainly not their understanding of the "benefit" for giving up all for this charismatic teacher. At no time since they began to follow Him had things looked so dim and hopeless.
It is in that context that Jesus said that He would not leave them desolate. "Desolate" is an interesting word. It translates the Greek orphanos, from which we get the word "orphan." Thus the New King James Version is quite correct with its translation that "I will not leave you orphans." With that thought Jesus is right back to John 14:1 with its "Let not your heart be troubled." "I am coming back for you," He asserted in verses 2 and 3. But that coming back would be at His second advent at the end of time.
John 14:18, however, presents a much immediate coming. In a little while the world (those who cared nothing for Him or His message) would see Him no longer because of His death and burial. But "you," He tells the disciples, "will see me." And they did after His resurrection. As a result, they would not be orphaned at two levels. First, He would see them again after three days in the grave. And second, through the gift of the "Helper" or "Comforter" He would be with them as they faced the world without His physical presence.
But His promise is better than merely not being left desolate. "Because I live,: He promised His followers, "you will also." One of the highest points of the gospel of Jesus is that He will share His victory over death with each of His followers.
These snapshots of discipleship are important for me in my own Christian walk. There are days when I feel desolate, hopeless, and forsaken. That's the bad news. But the good news is that I am not the orphan I feel like. I have a heavenly Father, a risen Lord, a powerful Helper, and the guarantee of life everlasting. I may be tempted today to let discouragement get the best of me. But what I need is to turn my eyes again to the realities I have in Jesus.
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