John 1:1–18 — The Light That Came Close

Series: The Word Made Known – A Journey Through John

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John 1:1 (NIV)

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
— John 1:12–13 (NKJV)

🌿 Why “The Light That Came Close”?

John opens his gospel with divine weight — not with a manger, but with eternity.
Jesus is the Word, eternal and creative, not just present at the beginning… but the beginning itself.

But He’s also called the Light:

• “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (v.4)

• “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (v.5)

• “The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (v.9)

And in verse 14, that Light did something unimaginable:

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us…”

God didn’t stay distant.
The Light came close.

That’s why this entry bears this name — because it reflects what Jesus did: He entered the world He created, not to condemn it, but to illuminate it… and to draw near to us in love, truth, and grace.

🕊️ Full Reflection:

Jesus, the eternal Word, was not a poetic idea or a distant deity.
He was with God, He was God, and He came for us.

He entered a world that was made through Him, yet rejected Him.

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” (v.11)

The heartbreak of rejection is real — and Jesus felt it.
But the story doesn’t stop there.

💛 And Yet... Redemption

“But as many as received Him…”

That phrase changes everything.

To the ones who did recognize Him — who received and believed — Jesus gave more than forgiveness.
He gave identity.
He gave access.
He gave rebirth.

✨ “He gave them the right to become children of God.”

Not born of family line…
Not of effort or intention…
But born of God — born again, by His Spirit.

We were all created by God, but not all are automatically children of God.
That comes by receiving Him — believing in His name — and being born of the Spirit, not the flesh.

🪞 Journal Prompts:

• What does it mean to you that Jesus is the Word?

• Have you fully received Him — or just acknowledged Him?

• Do you walk in the identity of a child born of God — with full access, intimacy, and purpose?

🙏🏽 Prayer:

Jesus, You are the eternal Word — the Light that came close.
You stepped into the world You created to bring truth, healing, and belonging.
Thank You for inviting me to be not just near You, but born of You — a child of the living God.
Help me live each day fully aware of who You are and who I am in You.
Amen.