When I write my blogs, my goal is to find just the right words to perfectly express whatever’s on my heart. Though I may begin by typing as fast as I can to capture an inspiration before it fades, I don’t leave it at that. I always read and edit, re-read and re-edit, tweak it here and tweak it there, and re-tweak it a final time before I’m satisfied that I’ve done my best to express my thoughts and convey my heart. 

This morning, during my quiet time with the Lord, I opened my journal and began to read something I wrote a few weeks ago. 

“Lord, as I read Your word, I want to read it through Your heart. Because I know that as an author, I work to make my words a true expression of my heart. With each word that You inspired the writers to pen, You had thoughts, feelings, emotions, excitement, love, frustration, etc. So my prayer is an invitation to You to attune my heart to what was Yours when the scripture was written…”

After reading that journal entry, I decided that since it was now Advent season I would read from the gospels. I read part of the first chapter of John. Here are some excerpts from verses 1-18:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. … The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. … Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, … No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side — he has revealed him.” – John 1:1-5, 14, 16, 18 CSB

I have to tell you that, probably unlike most of you, though I have read that portion of scripture countless times, and even sang songs about it, I have never fully wrapped my head around Jesus being “the Word”. But this morning I got a bit better understanding when the Holy Spirit connected the dots from the journal entry that I had first read with the verses in John 1. For me, a light bulb came on even as my spirit said, “Aha!”

First of all, the greek word translated “word” is logos. Besides “word”, a few of the many things logos can mean are declaration, prophecy, God’s moral precepts, and teaching. A spoken word embodies a conception or idea.

So Jesus, the living Word of God, is God’s declaration to us. Jesus is fulfilled prophecy, Jesus reflected perfectly a life that displayed God’s moral precepts. The words Jesus spoke when teaching about God came from God. His words carried God’s heart perfectly every time. 

What could be more closely associated with the very life of someone than the breath that comes from within them? And when that breath is used to speak words, the words carry the heart of the speaker. Genesis tells us that God spoke to create everything that is. John explained that Jesus, who was with God and who was God, was the Word spoken at creation. 

Thousands of years later the day arrived when He became flesh to live among us. His flesh carried God’s breath. When people saw the Word, they saw the displayed heart of God. For His 33 years on this earth, the Word was the communication of God’s heart to the world He so dearly loved.

Oh Father, thank You for sending Your Son, the Word, to us so that we could know Your heart through His words and actions. He healed the blind, because Your heart was to heal. He rescued the adulterous woman because of Your merciful heart towards her. His righteous anger at the moneychangers in Your house revealed Your disgust at how easily our greed replaces reverence and awe of You. When Jesus insisted that He wanted to bless the children, who were among the least respected in terms of value in that culture, we learned that Your heart is full of tenderness even towards those whom no one on earth holds dear. And when He went to the cross for our sins, Your love for us was put on display. Thank You Word of God, for showing us the Father!