Our scripture this week is John 1:1-14, taken today from the New King James Version (NKJV).
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
There are many scripture passages that make me pause and feel the weight of human failure. John 1:11 is one – “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” What an enormously sad statement, the Creator of all things came to be with us and we that He created didn’t receive Him.
In His never ending love for us, God came to be one of us, part of the humanity He made, to show us how we were intended to be. Our sin had separated us from a connection with Him, but He was willing to come to us to repair it. All we need to do is believe and obey, and we may be made whole again, in relationship with God who gave us life.
The joy of this is that God never stops. He is always waiting for us to turn from our selfish ways and live as He calls us, to love Him and each other and care for His creation. The “true Light which gives light to every man” (v. 9) is there to show us the way to salvation.
Living Love, we are amazed that You would seek us out, to bring us back through Your sacrifice and mercy. Help us to seek others who are lost, that through Your light all may follow the path You show us. Amen.