Frankly, I don’t get much comfort from looking at it like that. My heart doesn’t become restful just because I read that verse. Now, barring all the Greek exegesis that we know, and trying to take it in the context that it was said, as we should, we may find that it goes way deeper than a fluffy little scripture spoken by an inert and plastic little Jesus. We may find instead that the scripture was spoken by a Man who was a carpenter in the first century and used a whip of cords to single handedly drive the crooked sellers out of the temple courts, and Who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords Who was and Who is and Who is to come, returning at the end of the age on a white horse with His robe dipped in blood. This makes a world of difference in the power, significance and usefulness of this little six-worded verse.
If the verse was uttered by a nice fluffy, flaccid and friendly Jesus, we can just tell our hearts not to be troubled when our financial world is crashing down around us or our health is failing us, and we will “feel” better instantly. If we just pray the words “Jesus don’t let my heart be troubled” will it actually make my wife love me even if I’m a cruel, evil jerk? Will it cause our kids to get off drugs, get a job, and come to their senses, and finally come back to the Lord? Who are we kidding, besides ourselves? If we try holding on to that weak-kneed and limp-wristed theology, we will find ourselves without the intended result, making excuses why it didn’t work and trying to “cover for” a nice fluffy, easily managed and contained Jesus. Jesus isn’t some genie, wizard or Dr. Phil and He certainly doesn’t need “covering for”. He is the Creator of the universe and He upholds all things by the word of His power. If we would be willing to take a rough and raw view of the surrounding context, history, and verses, we may find what Jesus was really trying to say to you and me.
The verse just before “Let not your heart be troubled” is actually quite troubling. Peter swears his undying allegiance, even to the death, for Jesus, and then, Jesus asks if he “really” will lay down his life for Him, and Jesus goes on to tell him that he will actually deny Him three times before morning comes. Does the old expression “liar, liar” come to mind?
But hey Peter, “let not your heart be troubled, “trust me”. So if you would allow me a little liberty with this verse John 13:38, Peter, you are going to fail me, big time. Everyone is going to see it and know it, and people will preach about it till the end of time. Every one of the people that hears the story will think “I would never do that”. You are all alone Peter, the biggest screw up in history, and to top it all off, Jesus tells Peter “don’t let your heart be troubled”.
“You believe in God Peter? Believe also in Me.” And then, Jesus just moves on into the famous passage of scripture that tells us that there is lots of room in heaven and Jesus is leaving to prepare a place for us and that the disciples already knew the way.
This is not meant to be some super-doctrinal exegesis on the passage, but a good faith-filled look at what is really going on here. An untroubled and peaceful heart is what we all desire, and Jesus said not to let our heart be unsettled, or stirred up like a swirling muddy river. He says not to let it, which means we can control it and should be in control. If we believe God we should trust that Jesus has things under control. This is actually how we are suppose to do it, actually, trust that Jesus has our backs. Trust Him to be who he said He was and is, and who He is to come. We should read this scripture in a perspective of the moments surrounding Peter’s life and the end of days Jesus Himself is speaking of. It is always hard to keep the end of the world in perspective as it seems so far off, but it could in all reality be only the blink of an eye or a millisecond away. The end of the world may come even as I am typing this and you may not get to read it.
So, in reality, we only have to trust Jesus for the next second, and the next, and the next. Like the Alcoholics Anonymous saying “One Day at a Time”. If we can just TRUST Jesus for a second, we can trust Him for a lifetime. Gone are the worries over the huge troubling events in our lives, for we only need a second’s worth of faith and trust.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Peter’s world is crashing down around His ears and Jesus tells Him “let not your heart be troubled”. I think that would just tick me off. I would be saying to Jesus, “you’re not a lot of help here, I am not very encouraged”, but just this small little idea, that Jesus speaks this to him at this time should give us courage to face the day head on.
Again, I ask you to give me a little liberty with the scriptures. Peter, no matter how bad you could possibly screw this all up, you can be at peace knowing who I am. Knowing that I am going to the cross for you, Peter, to make it all better literally. To give you a way out of this mess, so you won’t have to live your life in bitterness, sorrow and misery. Instead, with just a little slice of trust in me, the real living Son of God, there is even more than hope. There is an expected end that is good and not evil. The rest of what Jesus said that is recorded in John the fourteenth chapter is meant as a sinners guide to a life of peace, chock full of hardcore truths, promises and divine directives. Like, we will do greater things than Jesus, ask whatever we want in His name and He will do it. If you really love me, and do what I say, I will send the Holy Spirit to live in and through you. Huge promises that are hard for me to wrap my mind around. I don’t quite understand all of what they really mean, but I am willing to try. Peace I leave with you, Peace I give to you. And back by popular demand, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Then Jesus said “Arise, let us go from here.” Wow, this just may be the key to the church, no pun intended. If all we have is the next blink of an eye, and the next millisecond. We cannot waste our time stuck on warm and fuzzy platitudes that make us feel all warm and fuzzy. We need to walk the next moments out with the true and living Jesus.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.- Jesus the Christ
