1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
This marvelous passage from John parallels the familiar “story of beginnings” in Genesis. As we begin our Advent season and prepare our hearts to recall the birth of Jesus, it is good to remember that Christ existed long before his incarnation on earth.
Seven hundred years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it was recorded in Micah 5:2: “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”
Where we come from matters; it shapes and imprints who we are. For instance, someone from New York speaks in a different dialect than someone from South Carolina. Our food preferences tend to be different (compare Texas-style barbecue to North Carolina-style barbecue: one uses chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and a bit of sugar, while the other has a tangy, spicy flavor that comes from vinegar-based sauces and is sometimes topped with cole slaw). Our outlook on life, our values, and even our profession can be shaped by our regional origins.
Jesus’s origins show him to be fully God and fully human. It’s hard for us to wrap our minds around this concept; it’s a paradox. Because of this, Jesus was both with God and was God (talk about a mind bender), all things came into being through him, life came from him, and that life was the light of all people—shining in the darkness (refer to Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, those living in a land of deep darkness have seen a great light.”).
There is much for us to ponder as we begin Advent season. Emmanuel, God with us!
Contributed by Isaac Thomas