1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 (NASB)
I’ve often wondered how long John took to come up with this opening scripture. It is my contention the men and women who physically wrote the books of the Bible are not their true authors, but rather God is the author holding the Disciples as you or I would hold a pen to write a letter. Did the Holy Spirit just pop this into his brain given to him whole or did he struggle with coming up with just the right words to convey the idea God intended? In the end, it is one of the most powerful opening sentences to any single document I’ve ever read. To that same point, the first five verses of this Gospel are perhaps the most powerful verses in the Bible, though I am certain that point will be debated to the ends of time.
This Word or Logos from the Greek, which was with God, we are told, created all things in verse three of this same passage. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light, Genesis 1:3 (KJV). God spoke light into existence. For that matter, God spoke everything into being using this Word or Logos. God speaks and things are made. We are made in His image, so what do we create when we speak?
We put words together into sentences to communicate ideas we’ve created in our minds. We chose words based on the reaction we want to create in our listeners. Just like The Word, or Logos, had power with God; so too do spoken words by humans have power.
Powerful words can be spoken to create a sense of unity among Men and Women. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did this with his I Have a Dream speech. Words can bring a world together such as those spoken by Neil Armstrong as he stepped onto the lunar surface. Words have power, but as with other things of power plans can go awry.
Sometimes we choose words in an attempt to create an emotional response in the listener, and those words are misunderstood or fail to create what was intended. Sometimes words are spoken in haste and create pain. Sometimes, words are spoken with malice in the heart and create wounds in others.
The good news is that God’s Word came to earth in the form of a man. John outlines the nature of this in the first chapter of his Gospel. That man was the physical embodiment of all that God intended for us to understand about how to live on earth as a human being in harmony with one another. He walked, talked, and taught those around him trying to impart how life is to be lived.
After his ascension back to God The Word wanted to make sure we could continue to communicate clearly with him. Just as God sent a part of Himself into the world in the form of Jesus, so too Jesus sent a part of Himself back to Mankind in the form of The Holy Spirit. All three, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all God but are at the same time possible to be separate, doing separate things.
Does reading the Bible seem daunting, confusing, or unclear to you? There’s a simple solution to that. Ask The Word to join you as you read. If you’ve been talking to God about things in your life, then extend that conversation to include inviting The Word to join in your daily reading. You don’t have to do it out loud, though you can if you want to. Just put out a simple, heart-felt invitation asking The Word to join you while you read, and he will. I assure you whatever scripture you read will contain new meaning for you. Try it for a week and see, he’ll help you understand because he believes You Are Worthy.
Questions for Reflection
- Do you ever find that you have to ‘watch your language’? Why and where does this happen?
- Are you afraid to speak with others at any time? When does this happen and why do you think you are afraid?
- Is it always a good thing to ‘speak your mind’? Why or why not?
This devotional relates to the scripture used in the book You Are Worthy by Mark Malcolm, coming to Kindle soon. To be kept up to date on the release of this, and other writings from The Cavalier, join us on Facebook HERE or follow us on Twitter @FirstChevalier.
You are not trash. You are not wasted. You are not broken. You are loved. You are pursued. You are wanted. Because God says…
