Grace Upon Grace: Light Pierced the Darkness
Daily Scripture
John 1:9-18
9 The true light that shines on all people
was coming into the world.
10 The light was in the world,
and the world came into being through the light,
but the world didn’t recognize the light.
11 The light came to his own people,
and his own people didn’t welcome him.
12 But those who did welcome him,
those who believed in his name,
he authorized to become God’s children,
13 born not from blood
nor from human desire or passion,
but born from God.
14 The Word became flesh
and made his home among us.
We have seen his glory,
glory like that of a father’s only son,
full of grace and truth.
15 John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’”
16 From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace;
17 as the Law was given through Moses,
so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God.
God the only Son,
who is at the Father’s side,
has made God known.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
John’s gospel was not a mystery story—the ending was clear. John 1:11 pointed ahead to the cross, and verse 12 already showed that the cross was not the end of the story. Jesus was “the true light” who came into our world, offering people the chance to become God’s children. John, and all those who welcomed the crucified Jesus, found a life-changing walk with God. Jesus didn’t come to condemn but to rescue and transform all who believe in him, and the cross was central to that.
- Scholar and pastor Eugene Peterson paraphrased verse 12 as “But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves.” * How have you found your “child-of-God self” since you began following Jesus? How has that deepened and enriched your life?
- Greek thinkers like Plato said “the Word (logos)” was too pure to enter the corrupt material world. Hebrews usually saw God as so awesome and distant that they feared to even say the divine name aloud. John drew on both those thought worlds, but he wrote boldly, “The Word became flesh.” How can it help you realize how much God values you to believe that he “became flesh,” subject to death as we are, rather than just wishing you well from afar?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, in my darkest times I feel unworthy of your love. Give me “eyes to see” and “ears to hear” how much you love and value me as I reflect on my need for your saving mission. Amen.
GPS Insights
Mikiala Tennie
Mikiala Tennie, who serves as the Student Discipleship Program Director with Resurrection Students, wrote today’s Insight. She has nearly 20 years of ministry experience and loves encouraging others in their spiritual journey. Mikiala is blessed to be an adoptive aunt and godmother to many kiddos and lives with her 10-pound Yorkie, KiKi Okoye Tennie.
I was chatting with a friend about how nice it would be to grab all of your closest friends and family, buy a large plot of land, build individual houses, and create a common area where we could all gather and experience community whenever we wanted. Life would be so much richer if our people could be a part of our neighborhood! I mentioned that based on what is known about Blue Zones, our health and wellness would skyrocket if friend and family groups could all live in neighborhoods together like that.
Blue Zones are areas of the world where the healthiest people with the most longevity live. There’s a bunch of research on Blue Zones and apparently there are nine different things that researchers found to be commonalities within these areas. The one I remember most though, is community. The fact that in those specific areas, people have connections and community among them directly impacts their health. Where we and those dear to us take up space matters. We know that Jesus instructed us to love our neighbors because they matter, but the neighbors we specifically link arms with on a regular basis are also vital.
That’s why I like the way The Message paraphrases John 1:14–it’s the verse that talks about how God became flesh and dwelt among us:
“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood…”
Knowing how vital community and access to each other is, Jesus moved into the neighborhood. Jesus didn’t just instruct us to love our neighbors, He also became our neighbor.
I love that imagery—Jesus moved in down the street with ample outside seating and a porch light that always shines. Need a cup of sugar? Need a friend to laugh with? Need someone to sit with you in your grief? Try Jesus—He’s just down the street—window curtains are always open so just wave, He’ll see you!
I like to think those zones where wellness abounds are a mini reflection of what it means for Jesus to have moved into our neighborhood—to dwell among us and bring God’s goodness into the places and spaces we frequent.
God knows that proximity matters for humans—so, I hope that today as you move through your various neighborhoods, you will feel God’s nearness and just how deeply Jesus wants to remain connected and in community with you.
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Peterson, Eugene H. The Message Numbered Edition Hardback. Navpress. Kindle Edition.
