Journey Through Johnናሙና

Scripture:

John 16:32b “You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” 

Observation:

Jesus knew that His friends would all abandon Him in His time of greatest need. They would fall asleep, when He asked them to stay awake and pray with Him in the garden. They would run in fear, when the soldiers came to arrest Him. Peter would even deny he knew Jesus as Jesus was on trial. It seems Jesus is already trying to help them deal with the guilt they will later feel, by assuring them that His Father is with Him.  

Application: 

When I feel alone, I need to remember that God is always with me. Sometimes I let my moods be dictated by whether or not I have people around to comfort and encourage me. If I don’t have a person to talk to, I let myself get down and feel discouraged. Even though it’s true that God designed us to want and need the community of other people, ultimately no human relationship is able to constantly be there for me whenever I need them. So I need to develop the habit of drawing my deepest comfort and companionship from my God, who is the only One who will always be there for me. 

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your constancy. Thank You that You are always there for me, always love me, are always ready to listen, always care about my concerns. You are so good to me. You’re truly the best friend I could ever have. I love You. Amen. 

Truths to notice:

16:7 Having the Holy Spirit is better than having Jesus living bodily on earth, because Jesus could only be in one place at a time, but the Holy Spirit can be with us always.

16:8-11 The Holy Spirit’s work is to convict people of our guilt and sin and of the fact that we will be judged by God one day, so that we can receive Jesus’ righteousness.

16:13 The Holy Spirit also guides us to the truth, teaching us Jesus’ thoughts.

16:16 ff Even though life on earth will at times be difficult for followers of Christ, we have the assurance that Jesus will one day return and make all things right. 

16:23-24 Jesus invites us to bring our requests and concerns to God in prayer, and He promises that God will respond to our prayers.

16:28 Jesus had been with the Father before His birth on earth, and He returned to be with the Father after His death and resurrection. 

16:33 Jesus never promised that following Him would end our troubles. He actually promised the opposite. But we can have inner peace in the midst of troubles knowing that ultimately Jesus has overcome evil in the world.