John 14 is one of my favorite passages. Jesus is speaking to his disciples on the night before his death, preparing them for his departure. I frequently use this passage at funerals because it conveys such hope and promise for those who believe—even in the most difficult of circumstances.
One of the most painful experiences of my life was when my older brother Britt was killed in an Air Force jet crash. There was a very long report explaining what happened, why it happened, what could have been done differently, and the procedures that were being changed to prevent it from happening again. All those explanations did not bring my brother back or remove the pain of his loss.
But the interesting thing is that the week following his death I had an inexplicable peace. And I was more sure of heaven than I ever was. From the very moment I heard that he had died, I knew without any doubt that he was in the presence of the Lord. In the midst of such incredible desolation, God gave me a word of assurance from Philippians: “To live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Not only did God reassure me regarding my brother’s gain in going to be with Christ. God used his death to give me a deep desire to live for him. To believe in God is to believe in Jesus and to choose to follow him as “the way, the truth, and the life.” The way to God is through Jesus. That is not a choice we make once in a lifetime; we make the choice every day, moment by moment. What are your circumstances? Are you trusting in God and following Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life?
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