Wednesday December 29, 2021

Today is Wednesday, December 29, and this week we are exploring what the Bible says about finding Christ.

As I enter into prayer, I pause to be still, to slow down my breathing, and to be more fully present with God in these moments.

Pause and Pray

Holy Spirit, help me release my worries and concerns into your care as I rest with you in these moments of stillness. Amen.

I choose to remember God’s goodness, joining with the ancient praise of all God’s people in the words of Psalm 112.

Praise the Lord.

and their righteousness endures forever. – Psalm 112:1-3 NIV

Pause and Pray

Today I am reflecting on how God came to be with us as Jesus Christ, the Word of God who became flesh.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:1-5, 14 NIV

Three things I look for while reflecting on the scripture passage today.

Pilgrimage. A journey of seeking, often to a sacred place, as an act of devotion.

Incarnation. God became flesh and was born on earth as Jesus Christ, who was both fully human and fully divine.

Epiphany. The revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. An epiphany is also a moment of sudden revelation or insight.

I notice that “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” is an expression of incarnation, God came to us in flesh, embodied in the newborn baby, Jesus the Christ.

I also notice that “We have seen his glory” is an expression of epiphany, a moment of sudden revelation. Am I included in this “we”?

Ask: Who was it that made a pilgrimage or journey to a foreign land in this passage? What does “made his dwelling among us” say about who was being found in this passage?

Pause and Pray

Holy Spirit, guide me in my thoughts and help me notice what you want me to see and hear as I slowly read the passage once more.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:1-5, 14 NIV

Ask: What did the Holy Spirit guide me to notice this time as I read the passage?

Pause and Pray

Lord, help me look inward and pay attention to what you have led me to see and hear. I invite you to transform me in these moments so that I might reflect the thoughts and actions of Jesus Christ throughout this day. Amen.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. – Psalm 96:9

Father, prepare me to live this day being faithful to you in every way. Jesus, help me serve others with your compassion and grace. Holy Spirit, transform my inner thoughts and motivations so that all I do, I do to please you. Amen.