Thursday, March 22 ~ Miriam

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 32-2 4 & Psalm 91.

Today's scripture focus is John 1:2-5.

² He was with God in the beginning.

 ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood^[a] it.

Yesterday concentrated on the meanings to the Hebrews and Greeks of "the Word" and these verses carry on with "the Word," meaning Christ, being with God in the beginning.  A commentary on these verses from www.biblegateway.com says:

By stating both positively and negatively that the Word is the agent of all creation (1:3), John emphasizes that there were no exceptions: the existence of absolutely all things came by this Word. Although with verse 3 we move from eternity to creation, we are still dealing with facts hard to comprehend. Until discoveries made in the 1920s, the Milky Way was thought to be the entire universe, but now we realize there are many billions of galaxies. Science is helping us spiritually, for it silences us before God in wonder and awe. But this verse also helps us put science in its proper place. The universe is incredibly wonderful, so how much more wonderful must be the one upon whose purpose and power it depends. "The builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself" (Heb 3:3).  (emphasis mine)

These statements make me think about the Francis Chan youtube videos about the universe and how unimaginably immense it is.  How can we not be in awe of a God who created something so huge and amazing that we can't even grasp it with our wildest imaginings?

Matthew Henry's commentary says the following:

What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the meanest worm. This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ.   (emphasis mine)

I know this gives me a lot to think about!

Tomorrow's scripture focus:  John 1:6-9.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:  Joshua 1-4.