Thursday, October 5: John 1- Ahhh Jesus.

Even though I am committed to reading the Old Testament as well as the New, I always find a vibrancy and delight when I shift from the Old to the New. Reading the Gospels, letters or even Revelations delights my heart and mind as the grace of God.  Reading how the living Jesus can touch and change lives blesses me. So with added anticipation I opened today to John 1.

Chapter one traverses a sweeping panorama of truth. Part of me is breathless with the number of truths I could upon which I can meditate.  Verse 18 floated to the top and that verse is where I spent the remainder of my time with the Lord.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

The one and only Son, Jesus, has made God known. And what’s more, Jesus is Himself God! Wow. What truth. What wonder. Amazing. Jesus, who is Himself God, made God known. Jesus allows us to ‘see’ the God who created all things.

In the Old Testament no one was ever allowed to gaze on the figure of God. But in Jesus, God walked among us. He spoke and taught and healed and debated. Ultimately He even died for humanity, offering eternal salvation to all who believe. However, this is getting ahead of the story, as it will unfold in John.

I don’t recall reading the plain language of this verse before,  that Jesus is Himself God. I don’t know how I could have missed it but there it is in black and white…  the one and only Son, who is himself God. The one and only son is a clear reference to Jesus throughout this chapter.

Twice John has proclaimed this truth. First in verse 1,14 and now in 18.

Raised in a Christian home and proclaiming my faith in Jesus for over 40 years, the truth that Jesus is God never ceases to amaze and comfort me. This is the core of my faith. The one I confess as Lord is God, Creator of all that is seen and unseen. Amazing.

He comes, as verse 14 says, full of grace and truth.

I sit today reveling in the truth of the Christian faith. A truth that has changed my life and given me direction and hope for the whole of my adult life.

Alleluia… I rejoice!

Oh, God, I revel in the truth of Jesus, the one and only Son, full of grace and truth who is God Himself. Alleluia. Amen.