REAL Gold Medal Promises

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. Where I go, you know, and you know the way.”                        John 14:1-4 (WEB, my emphasis)

And so ended, last night, another Winter Olympics. Many came with their hopes and their dreams and felt they were carrying the hopes and dreams of their families and their countries. I believe that that not all of those hope and dreams were attached to medals. They proved personal goals and set an example to the child ‘back home’ that they, too, can do it! Only the Olympians and their families know the sacrifices that have been made over the years. Friends who have walked away because the Olympic-hopeful spent more time in the gym, the slope, or the rink than they did with them. The trip to the Olympics came with a price.

This week has also been about endings for some friends. One ‘long ago’ friend ended her fight with cancer and is now in her promised mansion with Jesus. Another friend has ended a relationship. Both are about endings but they are also about beginnings. This scripture is a wonderful word vehicle to help us make that journey from ‘ending thinking’ to ‘beginning thinking’. It is a journey for those who are weak and put their whole trust in Jesus. When I find myself on a way of suffering, I know that Jesus has already walked the Via Dolorosa. And He is there, in that moment, to bring me through the pain and the questions to the new beginning that He has planned.

The place that Jesus has planned for me is not just my final place. Jesus has a place for me today. He has prepared it and led me to this time and place. Maybe it is in this truth that Paul found his contentment. (Philippians 4:11) When I realize and know that I have followed Jesus and have ended in this place then I know that it is in His plan and even if I do not understand the why of the location, I am here with Jesus and so I can know it will be OK. We will talk and I will heal and grow in wisdom and understanding!

I hope you take the time to listen to this song and watch the video with it on youtube.com Mary Did You Know? It brought the testimony message to my heart. I don’t always know what may come. I do not always understand the ‘why’ of what does come. But I have learned to trust Jesus and I do have a crowd of witnesses and so I believe His promises and know their worth is more than gold – or silver – or bronze.