Jesus Has a Place for You – Week of May 11, 2020

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:1-4

I have a student in my class who had a hard time socializing at the beginning of the school year. Rather than playing with the other children on the playground, he would come and stand right next to me, sticking close to my side. In the classroom, he chose many activities to do by himself rather than in a group. Just like the disciples in the reading today, he had a troubled heart. The idea of interacting with the children made him very nervous. I’m sure you have seen a child going through similar challenges in your setting.

It is a sad reality that at one time or another, all the children in our care will have troubled hearts of various magnitudes. Seeing a child with a troubled heart makes our hearts hurt as well. But this passage gives us a bigger picture—troubles are temporary; heaven is eternal. Jesus has a place waiting for you. We get to share that truth with the children we care for every day. What a blessing!

What’s more, that promise isn’t just for the children under our care. It’s for you, too. We also have troubled hearts sometimes. On days when you feel your work isn’t making any difference, remember Jesus has a place for you. On days when responsibilities seem overwhelming, remember Jesus has a place for you. On days when sickness covers the whole world, remember Jesus has a place for you. And by his grace, remember what Jesus said to his disciples as he was about to go to his death: “You know the way to the place where I am going.” And on the days when you need him most, Jesus promises you know the way, too.

Prayer: Dear Father, help us keep our eyes heavenward as we face the troubles of this world. Amen

A Question to Consider: How can you encourage children in your care to keep their eyes heavenward?

Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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