John 1:1-5

I know I just started on Luke, but I actually read through Luke very recently, so I have decided to turn to John. John begins the gospel of Jesus Christ in a very interesting time – the beginning. Not the beginning of Jesus' life on earth. The beginning. And he doesn't seem necessarily to be talking about Jesus at first. He begins by talking about "the word".

 

We learn several things about the word from John. The word existed in the beginning. The word was with God. The word was God.

 

What does that mean? On the one hand, the word was distinct from God. On the other hand, the word was God. Had I been there in the beginning, I could not have looked at or considered the word and said, "That's just the word. God is over there." No, the word was God. When we consider God, the word is included in what we think. So I will capitalize the Word from this point, partially to honor and recognize by saying "the Word" I mean "God" and partially to make sure I don't get confused by what I mean when I write "word" from this point forward. The Word is God. And the Word is the Word. Not a part of God (what does a Word look like, after all? What is its shape?), but a distinctive element of all that we can talk about when we describe God. Confusing so far, I think, but this is what John has taught me to this point.

 

One might be able to write that last part with the next verse in this way: "And the Word, who/which was in the beginning with God, was God." That would summarize well both the clear and confusing points I've been trying to work through.

 

Next John teaches that all things, without exception, were made through the Word. Life was in the Word, and John equates that life with the light of men. There is a connection between the Word and us men. The connection is a light, a life that is found in the Word, who is God. That sounds pretty good. I want, even need, light. I need life. So I must need the Word, who apparently created me – the Word who is God. I need God.

 

But then John introduces a problem: The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood/received the light. If I am reading this gospel, I need to ask myself whether that darkness includes me. Am I included in the darkness that has not taken in the light? But I need the light, because I need life. So I need the Word, I need God, but apparently, if I am included in the darkness, I have not received God.

 

That's a problem. Thankfully, as a Christian, I now know the Word. I have the light. I have life. But it is good to remember that I came from darkness. 1 John 1:6 says, "If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth."

 

Father, protect me from such a dark deceit that I could walk in the darkness and convince myself that I am in the light. What a danger would await me in that situation! Please, guard me in the light. It may be that my sins are more evident in the light, but at least life is found there... with You! Please, help me to choose life over the cover of darkness. Always. And may those who walk in darkness receive the light, that they may live!