Reading for July 1st

 I am not going to lie. I was hesitant to start this study in the book of John. "Why" you might ask? This Gospel gives us a beautiful, sweet and glorious picture of who Jesus is. This is precisely the point. If you are ready to fully immerse yourself in this book, it will be a balm to your soul, a sweet word that speaks life and hope and rest for the weary. BUT, we need to be ready to fully enter into its depths or we will miss the point. That is my fear. I don't want to miss it.

So instead of just having the travel brochure in hand, come along with me. Let's explore the sweetness of this journey together. Let's dive into the sweet waters set before us. It will not always be easy, and sometimes we will be challenged, convicted, and even broken. Let me assure you that the same Jesus who convicts your heart of the darkness within, also takes you by the hand and gently leads you to better places. More beautiful places. Full of His light and life. Come along...

The reading for today is John 1:1-18 (in your own Bible or the ESV translation below).

Read slowly and look for 1 or 2 things that really stand out from this text. Meditate on those truths.

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 were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

 What speaks to your heart in this passage of scripture?