To Encourage You

John 18:4 “Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”

Do you fear the future?  Are you anxious about anything?  Well, if you are a believer, may the words of John 18:4 above be a great encouragement to you. 

The context for this passage is Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.  At this dark hour we are told that Jesus knew all that would happen to Him.  He knew that He would be betrayed. He knew that He would be tortured. And He knew that He would be crucified.  Yet, He didn’t run and hide.  He didn’t quake with fear.  No, we are told that He simply came forward, voluntarily, and said “Whom do you seek?” 

You see, although Jesus knew all the evil that was coming on Him, He also knew all the good, and it was “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).  Do you realize that Jesus not only knew all that would happen to Him, He knows all that will happen to you and me as well?  He knows everything about us, and He knows that come what may, “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).”  That’s why we are not just told about Jesus’ magnificent courage in the shadow of the cross.  We are also told to be those who are “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).  As Jesus kept the joy of heaven always in the forefront of His mind, so we are told to do the same.  Like Jesus, we are to walk by faith and not by sight. Like Him, we are to believe the wonderful promises of the Word of God, no matter how things look at this moment.  It’s called “being spiritually minded” and to be spiritually minded “is life and peace (Romans 8:6).” 

Unlike Jesus, we don’t know the future regarding what will come of us on earth.  We don’t know those things because God has (mercifully) ordained to keep them from us.  However, like Jesus, we can know what will come of us upon our death, for God has wonderfully chosen to tells us about these things in His Word. 

But do you believe Him?  Do you trust Him, no matter how things look?  May God help us to trust the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Savior of the world and have the courage to face the future, no matter how things may look.  May He give us courage and hope as we face the future because we trust the One who died that we might live.