The Walking Alive

Today's passage:  Romans 14

7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord:  whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

9  For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

     I'm always curious about certain words in passages.  I've read these particular verses numerous times.  I've even used them in lessons to illustrate that we all have an influence on each other.  Our testimony is important.  How we live affects other people.  I understand the statement some sports figures make when they say they are not role models, because children should be looking to their parents, but like it or not guys or gals, ya are. The no man liveth unto himself part is not what I'm curious about.  What about the dying part?  No man dieth to himself.  What exactly does that mean?  And then in verse 9, it says that Christ died to be Lord both to the living and the dead.  And the most interesting word to me is in these verses is "revived".  A dead body did not rise from the tomb, it was a revived one.  As in, came back to life.  As in, was dead, but now alive.
     Zombies seem to be all the rage nowadays, and although I have never seen any of those movies or shows, let me assure you, Christ's resurrection was not a case of The Walking Dead.  Christ's exit from the Garden Tomb was not dead weight wandering around, using a human body as some kind of transport.  He was living and breathing as well, if not better, than before he was crucified Gethsemane, because He pretty well would have had a hard time breathing from the scourgings on through to giving up the Ghost.

Mary Magdalene Sees Jesus Risen
Taken from Treasures of the Bible
By Henry Davenport Northrop, D.D.
International Publishing Company, 1894

     He did this because my soul also will be revived after this earthly body sees death.  And my body and soul belong to God.  He claimed me.  He is not just Lord over my earthly body.  He is Lord over my other-earthly body as well, which will one day be turned into a heavenly body.  I don't have any idea what form it will be, but it is exciting to know that whatever it will be like, it will belong to the Lord.  It will be a revived body.  It will not be a mindless, apathetic, floating around the clouds existence.  It will be living.  Wow!  That is exciting, powerful stuff! He already breathed new life into this earthly, sinful body of mine, and I can look forward to a God-breathed heavenly body as well.
     It is not a new realization that Christ was really alive when He was resurrected, but it sure is wonderful to be reminded that what He does for me, He will do to me someday.
  "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  Philippians 1:21

   

Awkward

Today's passage:  II Samuel 19:9-43
   It is that awkward time of year again.  How is it awkward?  Inevitably, I receive an unexpected present.  A present I had not anticipated and from someone for whom I did not buy a present.  For me, that is always awkward.  I always appreciate the sentiment, but tinged with guilt.  Why did I not think to get that person a present?  It is humbling, because I have received gifts from people that would have not been on my gift list radar.  I have received gifts from people who I deemed mere acquaintances and wonder if I rank significantly higher on their friends list.  I know that in most cases, they are not expecting something in return.  It is really the joy of giving that motivates them.  This is also the time of year that the TV and radio reiterate the "tip" list.  You know, the list of people in service jobs who deserve a bonus this time of year.  Your postal carrier, your dog walker, your hairdresser, your doorman, your handyman, your financial manager, etc., etc., etc.  Has anybody noticed that this list seems to expand every year?  Now, I'm not knocking this.  I have benefited from such kindness.  As a teacher, as a clinic receptionist, as a house cleaner, my employers were more than generous at Christmas time.  But I never felt entitled to those bonuses.  I never expected it.   If I had the money to get every person who has performed a service for me this year a present, I would have nothing left to get the people who are really dear to me anything.  Am I the only one that thinks this list is a little exaggerated?  I mean, should I give every single person who works in a service capacity a gift for doing their job?  Sorry, I don't feel obligated to do that.  In the past several years, our newspaper delivery person and our postman have left Christmas cards with names and addresses in our mailbox.  Hint, hint, so we know where to send a Christmas bonus.  After Christmas had passed, and we did not tip these people, it seemed like a big coincidence that our newspaper, placed neatly on our porch previously, always ended up in a snow pile at the bottom of the steps.  I'm not saying these people don't deserve something extra special at Christmas, but don't expect it.  We are one of those families that simply cannot afford to give a gift to every person we meet.  Maybe there are some that can, and that's fine.  I think its great that service employees receive something extra special from some of their clientele, just don't begrudge those of us that can't.
     So I kind of veered on a rabbit trail there, but the gift giving does tie into this passage today.  King David is returning to Jerusalem, resuming his rightful place on the throne.  As he journeys back, he encounters friends who stuck by him through this horrible mess, and foes who opposed him.  The foes are particularly nervous because they are certain that David will execute judgement.  But he doesn't.  What?  He is merciful.  He ignores his advisers counsel to make examples of these traitors.  However, he does not forget his friends.  He is prepared to handsomely reward them.  So nothing happens to the enemies, but great things happen to the loyalists.  I'm wondering if David thought the best punishment for these folks, was to see the blessings they would miss for not serving him.

Shimei Throws Stones at David--Taken from Treasures of the Bible (United Kingdom)
By Henry Davenport Northrop D.D.
International Publishing Company, 1894

     That makes me think of our King's return.  He is coming back someday.  Many apologies will be made to Him then.  Not just by people who rejected Him, but by people who claim to know Him but never lived for Him.  They will have all kinds of excuses as to why they didn't serve Him.  Some of those apologies will be genuine, but some of them will be out of fear of the judgement to come.  I believe God chastens us for wrongdoing if we are His children.  But what if He comes today?  Some of those people who have not been living for Him, who have accepted Him as Savior, but have never bothered to give back a little part of their lives to Him, may still be involved in living in sin.  If Christ came back today, where is the chastening, where is the punishment?  They will get to go to Heaven.  Ah, but here is where the chastening comes in.  When those of us who have lived for Him stand before Him in Heaven, we will have crowns to throw at His feet.  Those who wasted their lives serving the god of this world will stand empty-handed, shame-faced before the King of kings.  Where is the chastisement?  When they have no gift to give the One who died for them.  When the One that should have been at the top of their gift list does not receive a present, when He gave the greatest gift of all--our salvation.  I so do not want to be one of those people.  I really want to live in a way that is pleasing to my God, so that I can give it all back to Him.  He has given me so much.  His mercy may be to spare judgement, but it can not spare us any shame we feel for not living our whole lives for Him.  I pray I will not be embarrassed to always give back to Him.  I pray I do not forget to give Him something at Christmas time and every day of the year.  Because that would be really awkward.

Unfailing Love

Today's passage:  I Corinthians 13:8
     "Charity never faileth..."  I've seen a lot of movies recently about older people losing their spouses.  We have had a few members of our church who have been going through this stage in life.  I remember when my Grandma had reached a point where dementia forced her sons to make a decision about her care.  We knew Grandpa couldn't care for her on his own anymore.  He protested and insisted he could do it.  Convincing him was not easy.  Had we lived closer, we could have helped more, but an hour and a half is even a great distance when someone's health is failing.  If it had only been her mind, Grandpa would probably never allowed it, but she was having other health issues too which required around-the-clock care.  He went to the nursing home every day.  He sat with her, played cards with her, talked to her.  She was not the woman he had married.  This Grandma I visited in the nursing home was not the sharp-eyed pragmatist I had known all my life.  She barely knew me.  Her memory was dull, and my Grandma's memory had never been dull.  In her younger years, she had worked for the Civil Service, and if you know anything about that occupation, not just anybody tests well enough to obtain that line of work.  I don't know how difficult the exam may be today, but when she took it, you had to have some smarts about you and she had them.  Yet, this woman who did not laugh as often as Grandpa's jokes, who didn't seem to know her own grandchildren had her husband at her side every day.  He went early in the morning and stayed until visiting hours were over.  I know it was hard for him to go home to that empty house.  His life was a few miles away.  I think of their love, and I think of God's.  It never fails.
     Grandma didn't live long after she was put in the nursing home.  I don't know what else we could have done, and I'm not saying that being put there ended her life early.  I know that she had been a busy, active person all her life, and hours sitting would have been foreign to her, even if it was sitting with Grandpa.   After her three boys had grown, she kept busy.  She turned their basement into a ceramics shop.  She made beautiful ceramics.  She gardened, canning green beans and jellies.  I've yet to taste anything like her raspberry jelly.  She crocheted.  I still have one of her afghans. 

Snuggle by the Fire

Artist: Mary Stewart Cutting (1858-1932)

Image Appears In: The Wayfarers

Date Image Published: 1908

Courtesy of www.reusableart.com

     I don't remember whether she went into the home in the spring or the summer, but I remember that around Christmas time that same year, we were attending her funeral.  The hardest thing was knowing how alone Grandpa would be.  At least he could be by her side when she was in the nursing home.  At least he could bring her treats, or play dominoes with her.  He could hear her voice, he could hold her hand.  Now, he had to find other ways to occupy his time.  He did that for about two more years, and then he went to Glory to be with his wife.  His passing was sudden.  We didn't know he had any health problems and God took him unexpectedly.  Some couples say they love each other, but other couples show it.  My grandparents loved each other.  My Grandpa told my Grandma that if she married him, he would do the dishes every night.  And he did.  It wasn't just a promise he made to get her to wear his ring, he followed through with his commitment.  I got the feeling he enjoyed doing the dishes, because he always sang while washing.  Maybe in his Navy days he had a lot of KP duty and knew the most efficient way to get the job done.  In any case, after every meal, Grandpa filled the sink with suds and washed all the dishes, even when Grandma had a house full of company.  He let us help of course, on occasion.

     As loving and strong as any human relationship we see on this earth, none of them exceed God's love for us.  None of them last longer than God's love.  His love never fails us.  There is nothing I can do, no way I can act, no thing I can say that will cause God to withdraw His love from me.  If like my Grandma, I became a person completely different than who I am, God would not suddenly stop caring for me. While any of us still have life, He will never take back His plan of salvation.  He will never say, "No, I didn't plan for that person to be saved."  When Jesus died on the cross, it was for all eternity.  The love He showed for me on Calvary is a lasting work.  It was and is enough.  As our Advocate, Jesus never goes to the Father and says, "I didn't die for that one."  His love is everlasting, it will never cease.  What about the Holy Spirit?  How is His love unfailing?  He never gives up on seeing people come to Christ.  It is true that He will eventually stop knocking on an individual's heart's door.  If that individual continues to push Him away, He will eventually stop knocking.  But not because He no longer loves that person.  And when one person rejects Him, it doesn't cause Him to give up on the whole human race.  There are other hearts still inviting Him in. 
     As sweet and endearing it is to see older couples still in love with each other, still wanting to be together, their love is not as powerful as my God's love.  Although, watching these dear older saints is potent, magnify that enduring love by the greatest strength, and then you will have my God's love.  My love may fail Him.  My love may fail my husband and children.  But I can never say that about Him.  I will still be praising Him for His love when I arrive in Heaven.  I wish He could praise me about my love for Him.

Apple Bite

Today's passage:  Mark 8:36
     "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

     Innovator.  Visionary.  Entrepreneur.  Technology Genius.  Inventor.  These are only a few descriptors I have heard, referring to Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, Inc.  His products have changed our world.  His death was not a huge surprise, his battle with cancer no big secret.  As with anyone who passes on from this life, I am sad for his family.  I also wonder about his eternal future.  He was once quoted in the Summer 1993 edition of the Wall Street Journal as saying:

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me...Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful...that's what matters to me."

     I have no doubt he was able to go to bed at night knowing he had done something wonderful in this world, I just wonder how much peace he had about the next.  I researched many quotes he gave over the years of his life, some for which I could not find the sources.  Here are some quotes attributed to him:

     "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.  Don't be trapped by dogma--which is living with the results of other people's thinking.  Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice..."  (Taken from a Stanford University Address in 2005)

     "I want to put a ding in the universe."  (I could not find the source.)

     "Here's to the crazy one, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes...the ones who see things differently they're not fond of rules...You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things...they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."  (I could not find the source.)

     "We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas."  PBS series, Triumph of the Nerds (1996)

     "Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards.  So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.  You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.  This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."  (Stanford University Address, 2005)

     "I would trade all of my technology for an afternoon with Socrates."  Newsweek, October 29, 2001

     "We want to stand at the intersection of computers and humanism."  (I could not find the source.)

     It may seem heartless to post about the death of a man who may not have known God, or if he knew Him, only in a "He might be out there" sort of way.  I do not write this to bring pain or judgement or criticism.  I just think that when anyone who we deem important passes from this life, it is important to take stock in our own lives, and examine for what or for whom we are living.  As testimonials poured in on the news stations, one image particularly caught my attention.  I could not get the image to embed here, but I have provided the link,  http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=8380876, if you are interested in looking at it.  The very last image of this almost three minute news segment arrested me.  It was something I had not thought about before.  If you choose not to check out the link, I will describe it as best as I can.  Imagine a black background with a black Apple logo.  Just behind this is a white glow appearing from behind the logo with white writing on the black apple.  It is almost as if Jobs is speaking to us from the afterlife.  Somehow that glowing apple reminded me of something.  Although the idea for the logo itself is attributed to Isaac Newton under the apple tree, a more religious icon came to my mind.  A bite out of an apple.  What Bible story does that most frequently reference?  Of course, I would be talking about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  The Bible does not say that the fruit was an apple, but many of the artistic renderings picture just that.  I know Apple's CEO was not making any kind of reference to God or the Bible when he commissioned this logo, but isn't it a little ironic, that everything always points back to God?  The thought of what the bite from the apple symbolizes may have more significance than even he knew.  I have no way of knowing whether this innovative engineer is in Heaven or Hell.  I pray that as he closed his eyes on this earth for one last time, that he uttered a salvation prayer, if he had never done so before in his life.  From all the quotes of his life, it doesn't seem that he ever gave acknowledgement to the God of the universe.  He may have changed our world, but he has no power over the next.
   In an All Things Digital Conference on May 30, 2007, Steve Jobs was talking about how the ITunes software caused Apple to be the largest developer for Microsoft Windows.  Here is what he said:

     "It's like giving ice water to somebody in hell!"

     Let's pray that this was not a prophetic statement for the man himself.  The verse at the top of the post is my husband's favorite.  It really gets to the heart of what life is all about.  We might have creative leanings, we may have ingenious ideas, but if we never give credit to the Creator who put those ideas and dreams in us, we have this life only, and nothing in the next.  The life after this is eternal, I think I would rather be investing in that.

Heavenly Home

Today's passage:  John 17
    I used to listen to a lot of contemporary Christian music.  One of my favorite singers was Wayne Watson.   There is a song he sings that kept running in my head as I was reading this passage.  The song is "Home Free" and the lyrics that especially struck me were these:

"Out in the corridors, they pray for life, A mother for her baby, A husband for his wife, Sometimes the good die young, it's sad but true, But as we pray for one more heartbeat, The real comfort is with You."

     We miss people when they are gone, but if they are saved, they are going Home. Jesus knew this as He was about to face the cross.  He was not looking forward to the pain He was about to take on, but He couldn't wait to get back Home.  I imagine 30 some years in human flesh was plenty for Him.  I imagine He was glad to leave behind the skepticism and disdain in this sinful world.  He had left Heaven, and He was about to go back.  I can't understand this.  I have never even had a glimpse of Heaven.  If God sent me a postcard with just a little preview, I'd be anxious to leave this world too.  We have become so attached to the things of earth because that is all we know.  It is kind of like going on vacation for the first time somewhere.  I may see pictures or have heard stories about a particular place, but it does not replace actually visiting. 
     A few years back, my husband and I visited Hawaii to see a friend who lived there.  I had lived there as a girl.  The year before we had vacationed in California which had thoroughly impressed my husband.  I assured him, Hawaii would be way more impressive.  I tried to describe it, I showed him pictures, but none of that measured up to just how beautiful the islands are.  When we stepped off the plane, and drove from the airport, he finally understood what I was talking about.  He wants to go back (so do I).  No description I could give was enough to help him understand what Hawaii was like.  Words could not describe it well enough.  Don't you think Heaven is the same way?  We have so many passages in the Bible that talk about it, but our words can never describe such a perfect place.  We can't get on the internet and google search it so that we can view pictures.  Nobody has come back from there to tell us about their visit.  But Jesus had been there.  He had lived there up until He was born as a baby.  He knew what it was like.  How many times in His human life, had He thought about going back?  How many times had He wished His time here on earth was up so He could return to His Father and His home? He came here to accomplish a purpose, but in this chapter He refers many times to returning to "the glory which I had with thee before the world was."  The cross is going to be hard, but going home will be easy.
     I guess the reason the Wayne Watson song kept running through my head is because I really don't get just how great Heaven is.  And when God calls someone Home, they are finally going to get to see what I haven't seen yet.  They don't want to come back here.  Why Jesus ever left Heaven to begin with is only because of His incredible love for me.  Once I've been, I won't want to leave.  This is hard to grasp, because there is nowhere on earth that compares.  We joke about wanting to live someplace we've visited for the rest of our lives, but not even Hawaii is perfect.  Beautiful, yes.  Friendly people, yes.  Laid back, yes.  But it has its problems too.  I know this because I actually lived there for a while, it would be hard for my husband who only spent a week there to see this.  Heaven is perfect.  Heaven is ideal.  Heaven is paradise. 
     The chorus of the Wayne Watson song says: 

Home free, eventually.  At the ultimate healing, we will be home free.  Home free, its more than a feeling.  At the ultimate healing, we will be home free.

     Someday we will all be home free.  And we will never want to return to this earth.  We will fully realize what Jesus left for us when we arrive in Heaven.  We will then know, words were not enough to describe Christ's Home, that He left for a little while, for me.

Laboring

Today's passage:  John 16
     "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come:  but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.  And ye now therefore have sorrow:  but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."
     How clearly I remember the birth of my first son.  My poor husband had just worked his shift (4PM-12AM) and had barely been home an hour when my water broke.  I called the doctor and was instructed to go to the hospital.  I didn't have a lot of pain--at first.  Around 2AM the contractions started, and were pretty much non-stop.  I was expecting a breather between each one.  I had been told that when they first start there might be five minutes in between narrowing within a minute of each other.  Now maybe my labor was different from others, but that never happened.  I would say a 30 second delay between each contraction, and that's how it proceeded for hours.  I couldn't turn over in bed without a contraction, I couldn't carry on a conversation without a contraction.  It was certainly more intense than I had ever expected.  Around 3:30AM the nurse asked me if I wanted medication.  I caved.  Mostly because I had no idea how long the labor would last, and I knew I would have no strength to push when the time came.  She administered Stadol which really did nothing but make me groggy.  I could still feel each contraction, I was just too drowsy to be able to protest.  Finally around 9AM I was given an epidural (and when you are having contractions the entire time, it certainly is nerve-wracking trying to stay still when a long needle is about to pierce your back).  In short time, I couldn't feel the contractions anymore.  I really pity the pioneer women.  I have sympathy for the pregnant ladies during the Depression.  Bless the ladies today who choose natural childbirth.  You are braver than I am.  I admit that I am a wimp and a sissy.  I can't imagine having gone another 4 hours with the contractions I was experiencing.  Thank you, Lord, for modern medicine.  Around 12 PM it was time for the most strenuous part of the labor.  Two hours of pushing, and finally my doctor had to use forceps to get him out.  (This tells you a little about the stubbornness of my first child).  I didn't cry, like I expected to when I first held him.  I was just so relieved to be done with the labor process.  No, the tears came later.  When we were alone that first night, and I held him in my arms, I admired each tiny feature and am certain no baby ever born was as handsome as he was (until my second and third son were born, and they are the only ones that I think could ever compare).   In the middle of the labor process, going through those hideous contractions (sorry expectant mothers), I remember thinking to myself, who on earth would ever do this more than once?  But that night, holding my son, I understood why.  Obviously, my first labor experience did not deter me from going through it two more times.  I'm thankful God was more merciful with my next two labors.  Each was only four hours, and far less difficult.
     Jesus is about to experience the worst pain anyone could ever go through.  This would be far more difficult than any woman's labor.  It would be worse than the torture any man has ever experienced, and I've heard of some pretty grueling tortures.  The disciples are about to sorrow as they have never sorrowed before.  They are about to have their world turned upside down.  They will be afraid, upset, discouraged, paranoid.  They will feel deserted and alone.  They will wonder what comes next.  But Jesus explains to them that just as a woman goes through that pain in childbirth, it is only for a short while, then comes the joy for a lifetime.  How true that is!  These disciples were going to have three days of pain and confusion, but following that, they would have a glorious future.  Many of them would experience death in a similar fashion as their Lord, but they would go to a Heavenly home.  Jesus would die such a painful death for me.  He knew the joy on the other side when I would someday accept Him as my Savior.  That would be worth all the pain.  If He had moments on the cross, thinking "Why am I going through this?"  He would think of the many who would believe on Him.  He would think of the joy He would have when each person, one by one, accepted His work on the cross as payment for their sins.  He would think of the disciples boldly going forth after His resurrection and proclaiming His words.  He would think of how Heaven would be filled with the people He loved.  Well, not all the people He loved.  There would still be many who would reject Him.  There would be some at the foot of the cross who would die never believing.  Knowing what He does now, knowing the suffering, the grief, the torture, the pain,  would He do it again?  Yes.  If it was the only way to purchase our salvation, He would do it again.   Why?  Because it was worth it.
     Would I have had another child if I hadn't had the medication that aided me through that first delivery?  Absolutely.  The pain was awful, but if it was the only way to have my child, then I would have no qualms repeating it.  If my second and third deliveries were as intense, I would do those again too.  Why?  Because my kids are worth it.  And for some strange reason, God thinks I'm worth it too.  I don't understand why.  I can only say this.  Maybe somebody today reads this, and can't understand why Jesus would die the way He did.  I don't understand why.  I just understand that He had to.  He had to do it to save our souls.  Nothing we do can ever accomplish what He did on the cross.  No prayer we say, no money we give, no presence in any house of worship, no kindness, no rite of baptism will ever wash away the sin nature we carry with us.  Only Jesus could take care of that.  It is only by believing that His death on the cross accomplished the payment for my sin, that I can have the joy that follows.  It is only by going through the turmoil of recognizing my filthy sins, repenting, and accepting what Christ did for me, that I can understand the eternal joy He brought.  If you have any questions about how you can know about the home in Heaven God has prepared for you, please see the page (Understanding Salvation).  He went through the pain, to bring the joy.  And you are worth it.

Homeless

Today's passage:  John 14:1-15
     In the previous chapter, Jesus has just finished telling His disciples that He is about to die.  They are visibly upset.  Jesus starts Chapter 14 with words of comfort.  He tells them not to be troubled.  Then He tells them a little about Heaven.  He tells them about the mansions there.  I'm wondering why He tells them about this over every other thing in Heaven.  He doesn't talk about no pain or death (which is what He is about to go through), He doesn't tell them about how there will be no sadness there (which is what they are feeling), he tells them about the homes.  Why?  These men have been following Jesus for almost three years.  They had left their regular jobs, some of them had left families, they had left their homes.  Now Christ's ministry was at an end.  What were they supposed to do now?  They did not know what the future held for them.  They did not know that God was going to use them to spread the Gospel.  I think their greatest fear was, "Where am I going to live?"  They were wondering how they would make a living.  They had stayed in people's homes because they were Christ's disciples.  Nobody would invite them in now.  Jesus wants them to know, that even if they are homeless here, they have a home in Heaven.  And not just a place of belonging, but an actual house.  A big house too!

In my Father's house are many mansions--Taken from Standard Bible Readers, Book Two
By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland
Standard Publishing Company, 1925

     I just find it amazing that Jesus was about to go through such agony in a few hours, and He doesn't dwell on that, He doesn't discuss how hard it will be for Him.  He focuses on what is troubling His followers. It would seem that with everything about to take place (and the disciples have no idea what is about to happen) wondering where they would live would seem the most trivial thing to worry about, but not to Jesus.  He never finds a single care in our life meaningless, He never regards any of our feelings as irritating. 
     As a mother, how often have I trivialized my children's fears?  How often have I just said, "Oh, don't worry about that."  Jesus recognizes my fears, and helps me to overcome them.  He sees what troubles me and gives me comfort.  Do I really try to understand when my boys are legitimately afraid of something?  Do I try to toughen them up by telling them they shouldn't be afraid of those things?  Of course they shouldn't be afraid, but sometimes they just need to be told that I understand why they are.  Jesus did not give the disciples any evidence that their problems for finding earthly homes would be solved (in fact, they wouldn't need any) but He acknowledges their fearfulness and tells them about their certain future.  I may not always be able to offer a solution to the scary predicaments my kids will face, but I can assure them by taking their hand, and helping them along the way.
     The disciples might not have had a home on earth to return to, but they would be far happier in the one God had prepared for them.  And knowing that, was motivation to get them through some hard days ahead.