Day 1
John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
Before time began, the triune God existed in a dynamic activity of love and glorification. (John 17:4-5) There was no such thing as time or creation. There was nothing at all except for God. Out of God’s self, God created something that was not himself— space, the heavens and matter, the earth. This was the first time anything existed outside of God, and it lacked structure. It was dark, but even in the darkness, the spirit of God moved over the earth. And God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— spoke: “Let there be light,” and there was light. In John 1:1-5 we get this origin story from a different perspective as it relates to Jesus. Like a word spoken from the mind is one with the speaker, and a ray of light cannot exist apart from the sun, Jesus Christ existed in God, so when he came to earth, he carried the essence and presence of the one who sent him. The life of Christ gave people access to God’s abundant, everlasting life. He spoke truth to ignorance and love to wickedness. He didn’t eradicate the darkness, he stood boldly in the midst of it to illuminate a new way of life. By believing and receiving Christ, we participate in that new life and are born again as the light of the world. Being born again in Christ is an invitation to the beginning of a journey, not the end of one. This is a journey of intimacy. It is a journey of becoming a child of God (1:12) who, like Jesus, can carry the essence and presence of God. Jesus was the glory of God (1:14) –the external manifestation of the presence of God personified– who came to make God known to us. Therefore, an intimate relationship with God can only be realized by becoming like him. Like the disciples, Jesus invites us to “come and see” (1:39). To develop an intimate relationship with God, we must see the one who first saw us. There is something deeply intimate about returning a gaze and knowing that you are seen, known, and loved by the one who saved you with just one look. When I see God through the light of Jesus Christ, I recognize the truth, and my eyes are opened to greater depths of glory (1:50). This is because the journey of intimacy is never over. You may have looked and seen God before, but when was the last time something happened that made you look again? Have you become satisfied with your regular routine and low expectations of God, or are you looking for the heavens to open so you can witness God's glory, grace, and truth? When we wake up to the reality that through Christ, we are one with God, we too can shine as incomprehensible light in the midst of darkness.
Prayer Points
Lord, thank you for this journey of awakening intimacy with you (John 1:12-13)
God, give me grace to see deeper dimensions of you and get to know you more intimately (John 1:16-18)
God let my life testify of your light. Let my time spent in intimacy with you reflect in how I love others (John 1:6-8)
Reflection Questions
John 1:7 says that John the Baptist saw and testified that Jesus is the Son of God.
What encounter allowed me to see the truth that Jesus Christ is the son of God?
Did the truth that I saw cause me to testify (tell somebody)? If not, why not?
Has my testimony allowed me to see the truth more clearly? How?
Next Steps
Watch The Bible Project Overview of John for helpful context before you begin reading the book
Read John chapter 1 and take notes, making observations and asking questions as you read
Mediate on 1 or 2 verses that stood out to you. Focus on what they reveal about God and how the Spirit is inviting you to respond
Write down whatever the Holy Spirit puts on your heart
