"Let not your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself,
that where I am, there you may be also." 

John 14:1-3

Jesus says, "Let not."  It's difficult to tell whether this is a command, an invitation, or both.  Certainly Jesus intended to comfort His disciples in view of His coming suffering, death and departure from them.  His words intend to bring us comfort as well.  Yet they also indicate that we have some ability to obey - or not.  "Let not."  Do not allow.  Do not permit it. We can choose, either to "let" our hearts continue to be troubled, or not to allow our hearts to be troubled.  How?  What is the mechanism by which we are to deal with the pain in our lives?

The rationale for choosing the path of "untroubledness" - the bridge over troubled waters, so to speak - is a belief in God which includes belief in His Son.  God is not just the majestic, eternal, all-knowing and fearsome Creator-God, distant and elusive; He is the God of love and compassion who condescended to take on human flesh and "move into the neighborhood."  He was here, walked among us, experienced what we experience, right down to the temptations we face - temptations to sleep in, to give in, to give up, to coddle ourselves, to justify ourselves, to condemn and criticize others, to "circle the wagons" and let the world go to hell - He experienced all that, but without giving in, without choosing to sin.  He did in fact keep the whole Law and it is a source of tremendous comfort that He did, for in His keeping the Law, He kept it on our behalf.

Most of us have read the poem, "Footprints in the Sand."  The gist of it is that an individual had a dream in which he and Jesus reviewed his life as represented by footprints in the sand.  His belief that Jesus always walked with him through life appears to be confirmed as he observes two sets of footprints.  However, he suddenly notices that during periods of the greatest difficulty, there is only one set of footprints, and his shocked reaction is that, in the moments of greatest need, Jesus left him alone.  The "punch line" of the poem is then delivered by Jesus, "The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you."

While this is a touching sentiment, it contains a glaring theological flaw.  The flaw is the notion that Christ only "carries" His people in their moments of deepest emotional need.  In fact, He carries us all the time.  In the economy of God, in the mercy of God, there is always, only, one set of footprints, and they are those of Christ.

So, as Jesus says goodbye to His friends, He says "Don't let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in Me."

"And because you believe in Me, because you believe in one set of footprints, I am going to also prepare an eternal dwelling for you.  This dwelling is not like your house on earth, no matter how nice it is.  No matter how much work you put into painting it, decorating it, no matter how much you adorn it with gardens and flowers and gold letters that announce its street address, no matter how many square feet you have, no matter whether you have wall-to-wall carpet or hardwood floors, the finest tile or linoleum, your house cannot compare with the one I am going to prepare for you.

"And it won't take long," He says.  "I'll be gone a few years perhaps, but in the timekeeping of eternity, it will only be a moment.  Actually, I'll be right back!  I'll be right back when the time is right for you, and I'll tell you that your place is ready, that you will be more comfortable - most comfortable, actually - in your new place, your new home, prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

"O yes, I knew you back then - before you were born, even before I was born on earth - you were in my mind, and I knew when you would be conceived, when you would be born, when you would take your first steps, when you would marry, where you would work, the struggles, the victories, the failures, the pain and heartache you would experience.  I knew them - intimately - for you see, they were mine as well.  I came to live your victories and to pay for your failures.  And, like Nathaniel, I saw you - when you were under the fig tree, or the apple tree, or the oak tree, even before  that - and I chose you for My own.  And because I chose you, you came, you followed, and your life has never been the same since.

"Together we have walked and talked and you have listened, some days better than others, but always - there have been but one set of footprints.

"So don't let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in Me, even when you can't see Me.  As I said, I'll be right back, and even while I'm gone from your sight, I'm not really gone.  I'm keeping my eye on you - not to criticize of condemn - but to bless you, and keep you, to make my face shine upon you, and to be gracious to you; to lift up My countenance upon you, and give you peace.  And I'll be back shortly, to take you to My Father's house, for good.  There - in a place that is more of a mansion than anything you have ever seen, or could conceive - you and I will walk and talk and live together forever and ever.  And oh, by the way, even in that day, in  that eternity in the forever of heaven, there will still be only one set of footprints!"