Great Plains Daily Devotional for 11/26/2021

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word
    and the Word was with God
    and the Word was God.
The Word was with God in the beginning.
Everything came into being through the Word,
    and without the Word
    nothing came into being.
What came into being
    through the Word was life,
    and the life was the light for all people.
The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.

A man named John was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light.

The true light that shines on all people
    was coming into the world.
The light was in the world,
    and the world came into being through the light,
        but the world didn’t recognize the light.
The light came to his own people,
    and his own people didn’t welcome him.
But those who did welcome him,
        those who believed in his name,
    he authorized to become God’s children,
        born not from blood
        nor from human desire or passion,
        but born from God.
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.

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.’”

From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace;
    as the Law was given through Moses,
    so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
    God the only Son,
        who is at the Father’s side,
        has made God known.

Standing on the edge of Advent always gives me a bit of a rush – in more ways than one. For 20 years as an actively serving pastor Advent brought additional responsibilities to the normal routines of worship planning. There were never enough hours in the week to do all that I wanted (or felt I needed) to do. In retirement, things are a little less hectic – and yet, I still find myself running down a list of things that need to be done before Christmas. I’m sure that is the same for most people who observe Advent and Christmas, whether you are clergy or laity. I know that it was much the same for me throughout my life before I entered professional ministry.

Something else that has been true for me on either side of the pulpit is that marking Advent with a daily time of focused reflection often seems to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holiday preparation. This year my goal is to read and reflect upon the Prologue to John’s Gospel every day during Advent. These verses (John 1:1-18) never cease to remind me of the amazing gift from God that we have in Christ Jesus. But verse 18 catches my attention most in the segment quoted above. “No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side has made God known.” 

Among the various reasons we can name for the coming of the Son, making God known to humankind is among the most riveting to me. In Jesus we see love and compassion poured over the lost, the lonely, and the hurting. God has shown us, through Jesus, how to treat every human being and, in doing so, has also shown us what God looks like – and how we can show God to the world.

As I stand on the edge of Advent today this is the challenge I face and am praying I will fulfill. I invite you also to find your own challenge this Advent season that reminds you of others who may see God in you.

Prayer for Reflection

2 Samuel 23:1-7
Psalm 132:1-12
Revelation 1:4-8
John 18:33-37