Stable. Relational. Depth.

If I base my life on feelings, events, circumstances, relationships and myself, I'm in trouble. God uses feelings, events, circumstances and relationships to shape me into a little Christ, but they are not what my life is based on. There is a standard to live my life by. Jesus Christ, the Word.

How many times have I read the bible book of John chapter 1, verse 1 and just kind of nodded inside myself or actually nodded outwardly, "Yeah, I know this one." I am one of those that struggles at times with wanting to be able to base my life on that list above...feelings, events, relationships and me. Even though this list could easily win an award for most fickle list to base your life upon, the pull to actually live relying on these things instead of the Word of God is appealing. Sometimes there's this very real battle inside of us about how much of a wildcard living our lives clinging to the Word of God really is. There may be some faint definition of faith in that last sentence.

And so, last week, I was invited to slow down in these first words of John 1 and simmer in what is there. This is what stirred in me.

Word. Greek, Logos. The Word of God.... identified in the Gospel of John with the second person of the Trinity incarnate in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Word, Logos. I don't pretend to understand this fully, but not fully understanding doesn't diminish the richness.

*In the beginning was the Word.

The Word didn't start. It always is. Hints of I AM. We are kind of invited to not even really say it always has been because the Word doesn't have a past. It IS. What stirs in me is that something that never had a frail or fragile beginning is stable. The most stable.

*The Word was with God.

That whole "don't pretend to understand this fully" just keeps on going here. The Word, Logos, Jesus, the Son IS with God the Father forever. And so this Word is relational. This Word is a relationship.

*The Word was God.

Mind blown. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." The community of the united Word is the foundation of ongoing depth flowing from their ongoing, never beginning, never ending relationship. Imagine driving a stake into eternity looking back. You drive it in on and on and on, never stopping. Unreachable depth. Drive another stake into eternity looking ahead. Same thing. It never stops. It's unsearchable depth.

So, if I am invited to live my life based on these realities, THE WORD, what does it mean?

There is a capacity available to us to live stably in the midst of stormy, unstable life because that WORD is in us.

There is a capacity available to us to live relationally healthy because the energy for holy relating, that WORD is in us.

There is a capacity available to us to live in increasing depth that is flowing and not stagnant because that WORD is in us.

Stable. Relational. Depth BECAUSE "In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God."

"In Him (the WORD) was life....and THAT LIFE (the WORD) is the light of men!" We get it IN us! "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness HAS NOT overcome it!"

The darkness of you and me WILL NOT WIN.

The light of the life of Jesus wins you and me.

Lion of Judah, WIN ME!

Stable. Relational. Depth. To the glory of God!

There's more.