And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 (ESV)
Every day we'll provide a link so that you can read the entirety of the day's passage.
Today's Passage – John 1:1-18 (ESV)
A thick curtain of commercialism, draped across the holiday season, leads us to believe that Christmas is all about the acquisition and distribution of goods: shiny new cars, trendy gadgets, ugly snuggly sweaters, sugar-coated shortbread, and bottles of bubbly; an occasion to reward good behavior with stuff delivered by a jolly fellow who surfs the worldwide sky on a sleigh.
In reality, Christmas marks an epic moment in the history of the world. You see, long ago, in a backwater village called Bethlehem, inside a smelly barn, on an animal trodden floor, the virgin Mary, gave birth to God’s Son – Immanuel: “God with us,” Logos: “the Word.” Jesus Christ, from the very beginning was with God and actually is God. The story of human history took on a whole new dimension when “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Jesus Christ submitted to all the limitations of humanity, entered the world as a helpless baby that through his life, words, suffering, and eventual death on a cross we might come to know him as Lord and Savior. “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”
Take some time to reflect on the questions below.
Near the end of each day’s reading and reflection is a time built in for you to pray. We’ve included a short musical video with some prayer “prompts” before and within it to use if you want, or just enjoy the music and pray what God puts on your heart in light of what you’ve read today.
What does the Christmas season do for your soul? Ask God to help you stay focused on him in the midst of all that can possibly be distracting during this time of year.
You’ll find this each day, and it’s a chance for you to dive deeper if you want to, giving you options of additional readings or videos. Have fun exploring!
Compare the verses in John with Philippians 2:5-8.
What insight do you gain about Jesus putting on flesh and becoming a man, and why is this so significant?
What does it mean to you personally to know God went to such an extreme on your behalf?
Cas Monaco | Durham, NC
Follower of Jesus, wife of Bob, Cru staff, PhD student, learner, teacher, writer, friend.
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