Saturday 9th December
Read John 1:1-5
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 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 all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (NIVUK)
There is a sense in which when we read these verses, with their references to light and life, that we instinctively transpose the metaphors to something we can grasp and understand. In what sense does John refer to ‘darkness’? Is it simply the absence of light that we are to consider or does darkness signify something more?
Given the context of Genesis we see John painting on a rather large canvas indeed. When we encounter Jesus, the Word, we encounter the source of truth and life and light as opposed to darkness, death and deception. A decision is demanded by this division. What should we do?
Perhaps it is no coincidence then that when James wrote to fledgling believers about temptation and sin and desire, echoing the language of Genesis, he then urged them… “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” (James 1:16-18) (NIVUK)
