Today’s reflection is from Jez Bell. Jez is the Director of Our Year-Round Programs, leading our internship program, and hosting groups throughout the year.
Today’s Reading: John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
-John 1:1-5
My Favourite Chapter of the Gospels
The first chapter of John’s gospel is, for me, my favourite 1st chapter out of the four gospels. It is such a poetic start to John’s account of Jesus, with so much depth and mystery to it. When I find myself coming back to reading John chapter 1, I know I will always come away with a new understanding of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Whilst reading John 1:1-5, we can learn a different view on creation. The image that John introduces us to is that Jesus is the Light. That light overcomes darkness, that life is light and that there is no darkness that Jesus cannot shine through.
Maybe you’re a bit like me.
You may find it easy to find sin in your life. You probably find it really easy to find sin, wrongdoings in other people’s lives. We can often find reasons to complain or moan or find darkness in our lives. Yet when we read this passage of scripture we can find hope. Jesus is the light and there is no darkness he cannot overcome.
Have you ever been in a really dark place and saw a flashlight shine across the darkness? Light drawn in a cartoon is often drawn in a beam of light, the light seems to seek out, seems to search the darkness until it finds its destination. John introduces us to Jesus the seeking ray of light. Jesus can seek out the darkness and can overcome it.
Take a Moment
May I encourage you to take a moment today and think about Jesus being light. May I encourage you to stop focusing on what you don’t have, or what you didn’t do, or what you need to stop doing. But may I encourage you first, to thank Jesus for being light in your life and then may I encourage you to take that flashlight and shine it upon those in your life that you think may also need to know the light of Jesus. Take some time and pray for those people, pray that Jesus will be that warm soft comforting light that brings hope into the darkness of their struggles.
In Christ,
Jez