Scripture: John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 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.

Observation: one of my favorite pieces of scripture. First it shows the connection that God and Jesus are one. “the Word was God….the Word became flesh”  Two pieces of the trinity very clearly connected. It always spurs my imagination a bit also. I find myself trying to figure out what the Word was, what did it look like, how did it function. And then it became flesh. Amazing. The point of this is to show God ultimate plan in action. Coming into the world as a man, but as one with authority. And the best was yet to come.

Application: Gratitude is the word that comes to mind today. What a complex plan God put into place, and knowing He had to endure what was the most cruel, inhumane forms of death known to man, just to get our attention. How could we not be grateful for that? Why (speaking for myself) do I so often take it for granted? Just thinking about this gives me incredible joy! I need to remind myself way more often.

Prayer: God, I am so grateful today. Thank you again for what you endured for me. Thank you for your incredibly complex plan to bring us back into your kingdom. Thank you that you made it so simple for us. You are an awesome God, thank you for all your blessings. Amen.