John 1, The Message

The new, first year, first grade teacher came running across the hall to me with what she thought was going to be a moral dilemma. One of her students walked up to her and announced that she knew how to “make love”. “My daddy and mommy told me!” The teacher stopped her for saying anything else, came to me, her mentor, and asked what to do. Together we pulled the girl into the hallway. I said, “So, tell me what you know about “making love”.” This precious little girl with a huge, confident smile, said, “You print I, then you draw a heart in the middle (illustrating with her hands), and then write you.” “I (heart) you.”

“That’s great”, we both said. Run along and tell others!” The young teacher heaved a big sigh and then laughed out loud. I told her she was correct to pull her aside until we knew what was going to be told by this little one.

I love reading the gospel of John, for he narrates Who love is and how to “make real love”, unconditional love, for God IS love. He tells the story of Jesus activities in his mission to seek and to save lost people with real love as the point of reference. Look for this as we read through this book of John. We will be taking much smaller “bites” as we chew on these passages and be renewed by the pure, unadulterated, unconditional love of our Heavenly Father.

John 1, The Message
9-13 The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn’t even notice.
He came to his own people,
but they didn’t want him.
But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.
14 The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.

Dear Heavenly Father, All I can do is sing praises to You, to show my love for You, all because of Your deep love to me.

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Thank you for loving us and showing us how to love You back and to love others.
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.