December 10:
John 1: 1-2 “In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with
God in the beginning.”
It is interesting
that God chooses Word to describe Himself. Of all the words that exist, or have ever
existed, he selected Word, with a capital W, to encompass
His Deity.
The word, word,
has a Latin root, which is logos. For anyone who has ever studied linguistics, s/he is aware that logos
is one of three basic rhetorical appeals.
Essentially, logos is literally and figuratively one of the building blocks
of all logic and reason.
In considering this
fact, the verse, and God’s reasoning, makes more sense to me. Like logos, or Word, God is the originator of everything – including every
thought, concept, and argument.
John 1:3 “Through him all things were made; without
him nothing was made that has been made.”
A word is a “single, distinct, conceptual
unit of language; a smaller amount of something written or spoken” (Google
Dictionary). One cannot write a sentence
without a word. The thought or concept is represented a unit (word) and then is
tied to others to create a message. In
the same way, Time and Space could not begin without the Word. All thoughts and
concepts stem from the Word. Thus, the origin of meaning is
in the word/Word.
John 1:4-5 “In him was life, and that life was the
light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has
not understood it.”
A word is a “source of the physical,
intellectual, moral, spiritual life of man” (Google Dictionary). Since the Word was the origin of
everything, that means He was the source of all that defined(s) humanity – the creation
and preservation of the physical being as well as inner workings of thought and
innovation. From the awe-inspiring detail of the human body to the complexity
of problem-solving, the Word was the root of all.
Likewise, the Word
was the inception of knowledge, logic, and integrity in man. The Word
is life, and life is light. Light is all that is good, right and just. Because
the light is in direct opposition to the darkness, the darkness, or evil,
cannot fathom the light, the life, the Word. The Word is what has “set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to
end”
(Ecclesiastes 3:11). Without the Word, mankind would have no
conception of eternity, good, or love.
John 1: 6-8 “There came a man who was sent from God; his
name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that
light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not
the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”
A word is “promise or assurance; a
message, command, motto” (Google Dictionary). From the moment when sin entered the
world, the Word knew and was prepared.
Since the Word was/is the origin, there were/are no surprises to Him –
ever.
The Word
had established the basis for mankind, including the concept of eternity;
therefore, He remained faithful to His creation – not because He had to. After all, He was the Word – Omnipotent God; as
the Creator of the game, He could adjust the rules at whim. He remained
faithful because He wanted to.
Thus, the promise of
a One who would save mankind was established just as soon as the intimate
relationship between God and His creation was compromised.
In spite of it all,
the Word
remained in the world in the hearts and minds of mankind through
tragedy, through exile, through the birth of Christ, and through the physical
death and resurrection of Christ.
With the gift of the
Counselor, the Word still remains and will continue to remain until He
returns. His message is a Presence,
which is both a command and motto for mankind until we see Him face to face.
Spread the Word.
Hebrews 13:8 “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Challenge: Pay it forward. Keep extra change in your car - 99 cents to $2.00. That’s typically how much a small frosty or shake is. Local fast food places will like it because it helps promote their items. That’s just one example. Whatever you do, do it with no strings attached.
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