The Word of Life
Scripture
“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.
This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.”
1 John 1:1–2 (NLT)
The book of 1 John will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the first book of the New Testament I ever read, and through it, God confirmed what He was doing in my life. As I read John’s words, I placed my faith in Christ and decided to follow Him. That little letter changed everything for me.
At the heart of John’s message is the simple but life-altering truth that God is love. And because God is love, those who belong to Him are called to love in the same way He has loved us. The world may offer countless definitions of love, but John points us back to the source, Jesus Himself, the Word of Life.
John begins his letter by reminding us that he knew Jesus personally. “We saw Him with our own eyes and touched Him with our own hands.” He is not passing along a rumor or theory. He is giving firsthand testimony to the reality of God made flesh.
“It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers will bring us to Him.”
— C.S. Lewis¹
That’s exactly what John is doing here. He points past his own words to the Person those words describe. Jesus is not simply a wise teacher or a miracle worker; He is the eternal Word who was with God and is God. If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. He shows you the Father’s heart, a heart that loves, forgives, and restores. You are not defined by what you do, what others say, or the labels this world gives you. You are defined by the One who created you and calls you His own.
Reflection
- What does John’s eyewitness account teach you about the reality and nature of Jesus?
- How does knowing that “God is love” reshape your understanding of who you are and how you live?
- In what ways can you reflect the love of Christ to others today?
Prayer
Thank God for revealing His love through Jesus, the Word of Life. Ask Him to remind you that your worth and identity are found in Him alone. Pray for the courage to live out His love in tangible ways so that others may see and know the heart of the Father.
Footnote
¹ C.S. Lewis, letter to Mrs. Johnson, November 8, 1952, in Letters of C.S. Lewis (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966), 247.