Great Plains Daily Devotional for 11/28/2018

John 16:25-33 

“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.”

His disciples said, “Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”

Jesus says that in him we may have peace. This peace comes, when we trust him. As to why, let’s consider the third verse from “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”
 
I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
And I know that He is with me,
Will be with me to the end.
 
Trusting Jesus helps us to appreciate him as a friend, who will love us regardless of what we say or do. In fact, there is nothing we could say or do that would cause him not to love us. As to why, his love is based on amazing grace. We can be lost, but he will find us. We can be blind, but he will give us sight to see him.
 
To appreciate his love, we need to do more than know about him; we need to know him. We come to know him intimately by walking and talking with him along life’s narrow way. We listen intently as he tells us what being his own means. As we do so, we are inspired to trust him even more. We gain the faith to know that nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from him. So, we know he will never depart the scene. Thus, we gain peace that lasts, even to the end of the age.

Prayer for Reflection

2 Samuel 23:1-7
Psalm 132:1-12
Revelation 1:4b-8
John 18:33-37