I love Lectio Divina so today's devotion appealed to me a lot. I first came across it in a theology lecture on 'Worship and Liturgy' and really enjoyed the time we spent practicing this form of meditation/hearing from God.
I mention in a previous blog spot that sitting and being still isn't something I'm good at but there's something about focussing on a Bible passage that helps to keep my mind from wandering. Also, I never fail to hear from God in these times. That's probably the real reason why I love it so much.
So what did God have to say about John 1:1-5?
The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness from day one. Everything was created through him; nothing - not one thing! - came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out. (Message translation)
This is giving us the truth about who Jesus is. John is beginning his gospel by echoing the start of Genesis. He is trying to tell us that the Christmas story, the story of Jesus being born, growing up and dying for us predates EVERYTHING. He was there in the VERY beginning. He was with God, creation was only possible because of him!
In this God reminded me of the bigger picture. The bigger story. The bigger plan. Jesus isn't just for Christmas, God didn't decide on the spur of the moment to come down and take human form. It was all planned. Planned at the beginning of creation. That's where our story starts too. The plans God has for us did not begin the day we were born, they began the day the world came into being. God knew on 18th September 1984 he would need a Becki in the world. He knew he needed you too. It was planned in the beginning. We are part of a massive, wonderful, amazing story and we have a God who has massive, wonderful, amazing plans for our lives!
