The next few hours would be brutal. Tomorrow they would witness what none of them could have imagined witnessing. The next couple of days would be filled with confusion, despondency, and the deepest of sorrows. So, on the night He was betrayed, Jesus sought to encourage His disciples. On the eve of the crucifixion He sought to implant something in their minds, hearts, and souls that would sustain them. Something that would prime the pump of hope. He left them this promise, “You will see Me.”

“A little while, and you will see Me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see Me. . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. . . . So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”  ~ Jesus

(John 16:16, 20, 22 ESV)

His betrayal would be unavoidable. His death would be indisputable. His burial seemingly irreversible. But that He would rise from the dead, and that they would see Him again . . . well, that would be irrefutable. And that they would rejoice? Inevitable!

You WILL see Me. I WILL see you. Your sorrow WILL turn into joy. Your hearts WILL rejoice. And no one, NO ONE, will take your joy away.

A promise spoken to them. A promise preserved for us. You will see Me.

Jesus knew that’s what they needed to hear that night. And I’m thinking that, for many of us, He knows it’s what we need to hear today.

Needing to again put the realities of the here and now in the context of the promises of there and then. If even for just a few minutes, looking up from the struggles before us and remembering the faithfulness of the Sovereign over us. Not ignoring our sorrow, but also not forgetting His promise. You will see Me.

Never is a believer more alive then when he or she really believes that Jesus’ second advent could be soon . . . perhaps today! Never is the church–the beautiful bride of Christ–more energized than when she takes to heart that the Bridegroom’s coming is imminent. And never is the weary soul more renewed than when it pauses to consider that the time is approaching when faith will give way to sight and “You will see Me!”

O blessed word of God. O wonderful Spirit who leads us into all truth. O precious promises of Jesus.

Weeping may tarry for the night,
   but joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30:5b ESV)

Because of grace. For His glory.

Even so, Lord Jesus, come!