John 14:1 (Jesus said to his disciples) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

This is one of my favorite funeral passages. We yearn to know where our deceased loved ones have gone upon their deaths. Jesus says here that he will come again and take his followers to be with him – to “my Father’s house”. One day we will join them there.

But this morning I’m hearing these words for their relevance right now, not just at time of death. In the Old Testament we read of God’s law being the key to navigating life’s complexities, especially in texts like Psalm 119. But Jesus seems to change that calculus in this passage, presenting himself as the key rather than the law.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life”

There’s a great deal of “unknown” in my life right now, as is likely true for you. When I sit down and try to figure it all out I get overwhelmed. This happened to me yesterday. It’s just too much. And somewhere in my mind I get to thinking I have to figure it all out, that these are my burdens to carry. Today’s passage reminds me this is not true.

So today, instead of trying to figure out the answers to all the questions, I’m going to do my best to take hold of the One who is the way and the truth and the life. My hope is not in managing others, managing self, figuring out the solutions to the many difficult questions in front of me. My hope is in a relationship, in knowing the Lord Jesus and asking for his guidance and mercy and grace. Lord let it be so. Amen.