“In the beginning was the Word”

John 1:1

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Every time I read this verse, I am reminded of the eternity of God.  God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit… He always was and always will be.  He was and is and is to come.  It almost seems like “beginning” is not the right word, because it implies a start, and God really had no “start”, per se.  How thankful I am for the sovereignty and power and grandeur of God!  What a joy and a reassurance to know that I rest in the hand of the Creator and King. 

But sometimes I see this verse in a different way.  The word “Word” refers here to Jesus, but it also refers to Scripture.  The Bible is God’s word to us, and what a gift!  There is a treasure that awaits us when we open our hearts and minds and let it in.  The mysteries and complexities  never end, which means He always has more to reveal to us.  The answers are in the Word.

I remember one time I was struggling with a decision I had to make.  There were pros and cons to both sides (aren’t there always) but when it comes down to it, all I ever really want is to obey Him.  The vision I had in my head was of a young boy playing baseball.  I was picturing a little boy getting his first hit, and then taking off running ~ in the wrong direction.  He’s trying to run the bases starting at 3rd, and the result is chaos.  Parents are either laughing or shouting, depending on how seriously they take the game, and which team they are rooting for.  The boy’s own teammates are shouting at him and waving their arms, trying to tell him what he should be doing.  The boys on the opposing team might be telling him to turn around, or even falsely encouraging him to keep going, depending on whether they are compassionate or competitive.  And there might be those who are just applauding, celebrating the boy’s first hit.

But through all this cacophony, with all the competing noise and distraction, the boy cannot hear the one voice he can rely on; the one voice whose direction he is supposed to follow.  His coach.

The world, our friends and family have much to advise, whether welcome or not, but we have only one Coach.  He has the answers.  He has the plan.  More than that, He created the game and wrote the rule book.

In the beginning is the Word.  In the beginning of our struggles… in the beginning of our endeavors… in the beginning of every day.  He gave us His Word in the beginning, so we would always have it, and when we are lost ~ and indeed to prevent getting lost ~ the safest thing is to go back to the beginning.  Back to the Word.

Read your Bible, people!

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