John 1:1-14 Daily Devotionals

Monday: In The Beginning

Read Genesis 1:1-3, John 1:1-3

Is there anything formless and void or chaotic in your life? God creates order from chaos and gives shape to the formless. In what areas do you need God’s creative power in your life?

God’s creative power sparks new beginnings. What does God want you to start? 

New beginnings aren’t always easy. In fact, new beginnings often come after difficult endings. Is there something that needs to end so God can unleash his creative power in your life?

Creation began with a word from God: “Let there be light.” John refers to Jesus, the agent of creation as the Word. How can you begin again with the word of God?

How will you devote yourself to his word as we work through John’s writings this year?

Tuesday: Light In The Darkness

Read Genesis 1:3-5, John 1:4-5

Genesis and the Gospel of John waste no time telling us what God’s priority was in his creation: Light that shines through darkness.

Is there darkness in your life that needs light?

How can the word of God create light in your life?

Jesus/the Word is not a spotlight that highlights our deficiencies but rather a light that shines from within and lights up our surroundings. We often see God as if he has an interrogation light on us but in Genesis and John he wants us to see him more like a sunrise that dawns and chases away darkness, even separating darkness into day and night. How do you see the light of the world? 

How important is it to see Jesus as the true light and light giver and not someone laser focused on our shortcomings?

Wednesday: Bear Witness About The Light

Read Malachi 4:1-6, John 1:6-8

One reason that it is important to see the light of Christ properly (see yesterday) is because we are not just called to witness the light but to bear witness to the light. John the Baptist is the Elijah that was to come before Christ to witness about him to those who would listen. The very last sentences of the Old Testament promise his coming and teach us about the nature of his light.

For those who don’t know God, he brings heat that will set them ablaze. But for those who fear God, “the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” For one there is judgment. For the other there is joy like calves awkwardly leaping on wobbly legs.

John tells us that John the Baptist came to prepare people’s hearts for a sunrise that would end with the Son rising from the dead.

We are also called to bear witness. Think about these three questions in light (pun intended) of these verses:

How are you bearing witness to the light?

You are bearing witness! Whether it is intentional or not. May it be intentional like both of the Johns.

Does your witness cause people to feel judged or loved?

There is actually a place for both but we have to be careful to allow God to ultimately be the judge.

How can you intentionally bear witness to the light of Christ?

Thursday: The World Did Not Know Him

Read Genesis 32:24-31, Exodus 3:13-14, Isaiah 6:1-5, Acts 9:1-6, John 1:9-11

The bible is full of stories of people meeting God again for the first time. Even all-stars like Jacob, Moses, Isaiah and Paul are completely humbled by encounters with God. With this perspective it shouldn’t surprise us that even with John the Baptist’s testimony, people failed to recognize or receive Jesus as the Son of God. We should humbly recognize that we are surely failing to see Jesus clearly ourselves.

What are some blindspots that you might have when looking at Jesus?

How does your upbringing, background, religious experience help you see Jesus but also cause you to miss things about who Jesus is?

How important is humility? What can you do to be more humble as you build a relationship with God through the Word?

Is there an aspect of Jesus that you hope to learn more about and grasp more fully this year?

Friday: He Gave The Right To Become Children Of God

Read Genesis 12:1-3, Isaiah 53:10, Galatians 3: 26-29, 1 John 2:1-2, John 1:12-13

The story of the whole bible is a story of adoption. God’s promised plan (logos), his very heart, is to adopt us fully into his family. The right to become children of God is unique because there is nothing we could do to earn such a right – Jesus had to make it possible. And at the same time, we have to believe in his name (live for him) if we are to receive such an amazing inheritance. 

What does it mean to be a child of God? What does being a part of God’s family look like now? In the future?

Who do you know that still needs to receive Christ and truly believe in his name? How could you help them meet Jesus as you are meeting Jesus again for the first time yourself?

Pray a prayer of praise to your father who has chosen you to be his very own little child!

Saturday: Full Of Grace And Truth

Read John 1:14

As we march through the gospel of John we will see so many examples of the Word in the flesh (Jesus) showing the grace and truth of God. Some examples include Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in John 4 and his forgiveness of the woman caught in adultery in John 8. In every instance, Jesus displays the perfect balance of grace and truth. 

Unlike Jesus, most people are not balanced when it comes to grace and truth. Which way does your pendulum swing? Are you more gracious or more truthful? Which do you value more?

It can be difficult for us to even see the equal value of both. Truthy people see gracious people as soft. Gracious people see truth tellers as harsh. Praise be to God that he shows us in his Logos that both are necessary.

Can you imagine living in a world without truth? Why do we need truth? (unfortunately, our world is becoming this more and more – but take comfort, God’s truth will always exist whether it is believed or not.)

Can you imagine a world without grace? Why do we need grace? Why do we need to be very gracious toward others?

How can you grow in grace and truth?