The Word

It’s been a while. What better way to start up Word (of the week- yeah right) with the Word.

"In the beginning was the Word"

This little statement is the opening line of one of the historical records of Jesus of Nazareth's life. It's a funny statement. Not funny "ha ha", funny "owwweee...hmmmm". It means a lot of different things many of which I don't know and some of which I do. But there's something about this one little nugget that has brought me comfort recently. Let me explain.

Isn't it nice to know that something, rather someone, was before you, greater than you, holding it all together? Maybe that's terrifying for some, perhaps even unbelievable. But it's comforting to me. Why? Because it means that I don't need to have it all together. I don't have to create my own existence, my own identity, my own home. There was/is something, someone, greater than me who gives me meaning and purpose.

In a world and city where we're constantly striving...for many things...knowing the Word (Jesus/God) was in the beginning can help us take a deep breath; a deep breath to know that even if we fail there is a God who was before our time that can hold it all together; a deep breath in the midst of suffering and loss because there is a God who outlasts and endures our temporality. In that deep breath is the consolation of the Word saying, "there, there now, don't worry, it's not all about you".

What a liberating breath. What a liberating God.