In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . .
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)

I first became aware of these majestic words when Pr. Ralph Riedesel read them one Christmas Eve. I didn’t quite understand them. I was only 13 at the time, but I tried to explain them to a friend who looked at me as if I were nuts. I have pondered them ever since. I recently got into an argument with a Jehovah’s Witness when I pointed out the Bible they use intentionally mistranslates the words from the Greek so as to deny the divinity of Christ.

The Word was God and became flesh–like us. We confess in the Nicene Creed, “God from God, Light from Light . . . for us and our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became truly human.”

This is the great wonder we celebrate. This was God’s plan of salvation. From the Patriarchs to Moses, from Joshua and the Judges to the Prophets and John the Baptist. And now, when the time was right the Word became flesh. And this was done for us, for you and me. God loves us so much that this was done for us.

In these final days as we rush headlong to Christmas, remember what really matters. The Word became flesh . . . for us.

Read John 1:1-14 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne