January 31

In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. — John 1:4 BSB

Life is full of mystery. We can see its outward manifestations, but we cannot fully grasp its source. We know that a person is alive because of their actions, but we can’t explain what keeps the heart beating continuously for decades. We can read a poem, admire a painting, or listen to a song, but we don’t fully understand the inner life that produced these creations. The source of life remains hidden.

The same is true of spiritual life. We see someone who is at peace in the midst of great trials, another who is comforted in sorrow, another living nobly through temptation, and yet another lifted from a life of sin and transformed. We see the results of spiritual life, but we don’t understand the processes that bring about these changes.

Yet we know that all life—physical and spiritual—comes from Christ. He is the fountain of life. No human skill or power can produce even the smallest living thing, like a blade of grass. And no human power can give new life to a dead soul. Only Christ can do this. We must receive our life from Him.