Day 1 In the Beginning
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"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." John 1:1
"In the beginning." Life is full of beginnings. We are now at the beginning of a year. But here is a beginning which carries our thoughts back beyond all years, all dates of history, all imaginable periods of time, beyond the beginnings of creation!
"In the beginning was the Word." Then Christ was. What a sublime stretch of being these words give to Him who is our Saviour! We cannot grasp the thought — but we can find security and comfort in it when we think of Christ, and when we rest in Him as our hope and salvation. We trust in human friends — and the comfort is very sweet; yet we can never forget that they are but creatures of a day, and that we cannot be sure of having them even for tomorrow! But we trust in Christ, and know that from eternity to eternity — He is the same, and therefore our confidence is forever strong and sure.
Our trust is still more stable and firm when we read on, and find who this Person is, in whom we are confiding. "The Word was God." There is nothing doubtful in this language. No kind of exegesis can blot from this brief clause — the truth of Christ's divinity. The Saviour, into whose hands you have committed your life — is the eternal God! Earthly trusts are never secure, for everything human is mortal; but those who commit themselves to the keeping of Christ — are safe forever.
It is very sweet to think of Christ's humanity. It brings Him near to us. He is like one of ourselves. He is our own brother, with tender sympathies and warm affections. We study the gospel and learn the graciousness of His character, as seen in His compassion, His tears, His love. Then, when we know that behind these qualities — are the divine attributes, that He is truly God — what glorious confidence it gives us! Let us set this glorious truth, at the gate of the New Year. It is a shining point from which to start!
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