Today’s Devotional: The Word of God
Have you ever seen something so beautiful that it was indescribable? Or experienced a pain so deep it was unexplainable?
We use words to communicate ideas and information, but sometimes ideas and information are too complicated to be encapsulated in words. The Gospel is a perfect example of this predicament. We could spend years describing the minutiae of the Gospel to someone, but until they make it part of their lives any description will be like a poor reflection in a mirror.
A recent post from A Slice of Infinity explores the concept of Jesus as the Word of God. Much like how words can be used to describe concepts, Jesus—the Word of God—came as a revelation of God. Through Jesus we find an understanding of God that goes beyond words:
In Jesus, the Word of God, we see the Word beyond words. As John’s gospel does assert: “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known” (John 1:18). What we can know about God is centrally communicated in a person through his life and ministry. Jesus embodied God’s saving work of redemption in his life, his death, and his resurrection. God is revealed definitively in Jesus who came to seek and to save what was lost.
As one who writes and speaks, I know the power of words. In the defense of the gospel, a carefully crafted argument is often critical to breaking through the barriers of our day. And yet, I am reminded that words have limits, that people must see the gospel lived out, and that they must experience its power. The gospel must be embodied by those who claim to believe it. Francis of Assisi exhorted his band of followers to “preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.” And if I’m honest, embodying the gospel takes far more creative effort than simply crafting an argument or a well-written sentence.
Perhaps in a word-saturated society such as ours, this early Christian understanding of the Word beyond words will remind us all of the limited power of words. There are divine mysteries so great that words fall short—as they should. And for all of us, this is deeply good news. God’s revelation is personal, embodied in Jesus. “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). God acted in a person, and this action speaks louder than words.
Read the rest of the devotional at RZIM.org.
How do you show the Gospel through your life rather than through words?
