“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…”
John 1:14
Why is Jesus so important? His life was lived 2,000 years ago, why are we still talking about Him? What’s up with this man, whom people are lovingly obsessed over–or hate with all they are? Why is He such a polarizing figure and why won’t He just fade away, like any other fad or story? What’s the deal?
Further, why am I, personally, so drawn to knowing someone more and more, whom I’ve never met face to face? Someone whom I simply believe in? John chapter 1 answers all of these questions for me. It begins by telling me, “He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:2). So when they (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), decided to create this universe–the very notion of time–they already had a relationship going on amongst themselves.
This explains to me why I’m so drawn to my Creator–He, God, the Trinity, made me for an eternal relationship.
Second, it tells me “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). This explains His infiniteness, and my finiteness. He always “has been.” We have not. He has no beginning or end. We do. Everything you can currently see and feel will end, because it has a beginning.
However, your spirit is everlasting just like God. It will go on for eternity, with, or without Him. We get to choose. He doesn’t choose for us. Hence, free will. This is what makes us like God.
So why Jesus? Why this man? Why not leave things as they were before He came? Verse 14 explains the reason, perfectly. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…”
Jesus is called the Word--capital W–as in, a proper noun. Why is this? I heard it once said Jesus is called the Word because He’s everything God wanted to say to us! Jesus was and still is, GOD IN THE FLESH. The Word of God became flesh like us! God was now literally speaking to His creation, face to face!
Why is that important? Why did He do this? Why can’t we just believe in and worship God without Him becoming a man? Why do we need this personal relationship with Him–as in, “in person”?
In my quest of nearly 35 years of life, I’ve determined that God became a man for many reasons, but three of them stand out to me:
Of course, I’m sure if I put my mind to it, I could write an entire book on all the reasons why we needed Jesus to come to earth. But if I was forced to give one single reason as to why God got down off His throne in heaven, became a baby on His very own planet, grew up, taught us, led us, guided us, and saved us…it would be this: He wanted to show us what real love is like. That’s Jesus. That’s my Jesus. I know Him personally, do you?
A prayer for you: Jesus, today I want to thank you for your life, and your death, and your life! Spiritually, I know you are the truth! Thank you for creating me for this relationship with you. Thank you for pursuing me when I ran from you, in my mind, as fast as I could. Even though you were in me the whole time, I didn’t know it! Everywhere I went, you went too! Life is good now, even when my circumstances are not. Right now, I lift up all who are reading this, directly to you. For those who don’t know that it’s you who keeps knocking on the door of their hearts, saying, “Invite me in,” reveal this to them! Show them that your way is the best way! Teach them how much you love them! Teach them how to love you! Teach them how to love others! Teach them how to love themselves! In your name I pray, amen.
This devotional is from my bestselling book, 60 Days for Jesus, Volume 1. Get your copy here!