“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3

A Safe Place

After the latest in a series of painful betrayals, I was ready to take up the life of a hermit. I wanted to be out of reach of people who might hurt me, people who regularly blame, criticize, and accuse, people who make much of little. I was done. I was tired of jumping every time I received a text or call from a certain person. I was weary of dealing with emotional logjams—as if a bubbling, flowing stream suddenly slowed to a trickle because some logs and leaves had wedged themselves into a narrow space, choking, preventing the natural way of waters.

I longed with an overwhelming urgency to be “somewhere safe with somebody good.” These thoughts began to consume me. I wanted a new time and place. I didn’t want to deal with anybody’s stuff, not even my own. Where was that safe place? Who was the truly safe person?

Can you relate? I wasn’t suicidal—no! I wanted to live—but really, truly live in freedom and passion, in true love and kindness, with someone truly loving me back. You know—like some marriages we imagine, or some parental relationships we imagine, where everybody gets along and peace reigns.

With these deep longings in my heart, today’s Scripture opened a devotional book I was reading. How my tears flowed! There it was! There He was! Jesus, the Somebody good, preparing somewhere safe for me! He is good, and He wants me with Him forever! He may correct and discipline me, but He never criticizes, never accuses, never blames or hurts me. My future holds the promise of a new time and place—something to look forward to with excited anticipation.

In THAT place, somewhere safe with Somebody good, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

I’m so glad Jesus warned us ahead of time about the trials of this life, yet gave us the promise of what is to come. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

 “Thank You for Your specific, hope-filled promises. We cling to You. Amen.”