January 1

In the Beginning

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. — John 1:1 BSB

Life is full of beginnings. We’re now at the start of a new year. But there’s a beginning that takes us back beyond all years, history, or even time itself—beyond the start of creation. Before everything, Christ existed. These words open up such a profound view of who Jesus is, our Savior. We might not fully grasp it, but we can find security and comfort in knowing Christ has always been and always will be. We trust Him as our hope and salvation. We trust our human friends too, and that trust is sweet; but they’re just here for a short time, and we can’t be certain we’ll have them tomorrow. With Christ, however, we know He’s the same from eternity to eternity, and our confidence in Him is forever strong and unshakeable.

This trust becomes even firmer when we realize who we’re placing our trust in. “The Word was God.” These words leave no doubt—Christ is divine. The Savior in whom we’ve placed our lives is the eternal God. Human trusts can never be fully secure because people are mortal, but when we trust Christ, we’re safe forever. It’s comforting to think of Christ’s humanity—it makes Him relatable, near to us. He’s like a brother, full of compassion, empathy, and love. When we read the Gospels, we see His kindness, His tears, and His love. But when we also know that behind all this humanity is the fullness of divinity, it gives us tremendous confidence. Let’s carry this truth with us into the new year—it’s a bright place to begin.

“Come and hear the grand old story,
Story of the ages past:
Surpassing all earth’s annals.
A story that will last forever.

Christ, the Father’s eternal Son,
Once was born as a human.
The One who had no beginning,
Began life on earth.

Listen then to the grand old story,
True as God’s faithful Word;
The best news for the guilty,
Of a Lord who died and rose again.

Hear the grand old story,
And learn of the love
Flowing to the guilty
From our pardoning God above.”