Focus

Close your eyes and open yourself as you relax into a peaceful state. Be willing to expose yourself for who you are as God created you to be. Breathe deeply as you prepare to hear God’s Word.

Read

Reflect

This passage is somewhat difficult to comprehend. The Word became flesh. Does that mean that the written word is invalidated and that it no longer has a place in our lives? I mean when this was written, there was no New Testament gathered together and read by church members. They had the Torah or the Law. Verse 17 says that the Law was given through Moses, but truth came through Jesus Christ. So what are we to think about this?

I began to think of it in this way: When my wife and I were married, we took vows. Those vows informed us about the relationship we were getting into. It laid parameters and expectations. We both said, “I do.” But, our marriage did not end there with an agreement to follow the vows. Over the days, weeks, months, and years we set about fulfilling those vows. In the process of fulfilling those vows, I have come to know my wife in a much deeper way, and she, me. 

It seems that the written word informs us of our relationship with God in Jesus Christ, but it is our relationship with Jesus Christ that is to grow and become more real over time. We do not have a relationship with the written word. Think about the Pharisees. They had a relationship with the Torah or the written word. They meticulously kept every jot and tittle. Yet when the time came, they could not recognize the Messiah. They were practicing a dead religion, they loved the words, but not the writer, or the Word Incarnate.

Far be it from us to be the type of Christian that pours over the written word but fail to love the Incarnate Word. 

Pray

Lord, let us come to you as our loving parent. Help us to develop a deep love and passion for you. Amen