Begin Again
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, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)
We have just celebrated the birth of Jesus into the world - God with us, the Word made flesh. Now, as we are on the verge of a new year, we have an opportunity to begin anew. We may have lists, and vision boards, of what we want to accomplish, and we may have things we want to lay aside as we enter a new year. But what if we filter all of our hopes, dreams, wants and needs through the Word?
The book of John begins by refocusing the Genesis story on the Word. As God spoke, the world, and all of life, was created - and it was good. Jesus is the walking, talking embodiment of all the good that God created - Jesus is the Word. In our personal new year genesis stories, we can commit to allowing God's Word to wash over us, creating in us the good that God intends. We can keep the darkness at bay by allowing God's Word move in and through us - spreading life, light, truth and justice every time we speak or move to serve. Rather than merely striving to attain a goal weight or some material possession, we can choose to see our bodies as places where God longs to reside and choose to consume only what strengthens and nourishes, attaining things for the purpose of blessing others.
God is still speaking. May we listen. God is still creating. May we welcome the formation and reformation of our whole selves. May we begin this new beginning with the Word which dwells among us.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:10-14)
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