Adjacent Rooms
We can take comfort in knowing that God has set aside a place for us.
Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” - John 14:1-14
We often hear this reading at funerals and we tend to think that Jesus is talking about Heaven.
But I found one commentary that talks about God's House as this place where we dwell now.
If that is what Jesus is referring to, God's Kingdom here on earth, then why mention going to prepare a place for us?
Clearly Jesus wants us to know there is a special place that is not here, but in God's House.
He tells them, and us, that we know the way to the place He is going, which we assume is His Father's House, and when He tells us He is the way, it starts to make sense.
By following Jesus, we have a room, a place within God's House that is prepared for us. It is metaphorical, perhaps, but it is a real place that God has made in His Heart and Home for us.
And if we can dwell in the House of The Lord forever, then this place which we have in God's heart right now will be our dwelling place throughout eternity.
It is comforting for us to hear these words when someone we love passes. We want to believe that they are still alive, but in another form. I believe that is true, but I don't believe they need a room the way we need shelter here on earth.
Instead, they are forever a part of God's domain, just as we are now.
Nothing changes and everything changes when we go home to God.
For those we love who remain, there is a sense of loss, but if they close their eyes and recall us in their memories, we come back to them as alive as if we are with them in person.
The connection may be as simple as being in the next room in God's House.
They are just down the hall.
More to come...