Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory — the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. (John 1:14-18 — New English Translation)
The first phrase of this passage may seem normal to you because you have heard it so many times, but it would have been shocking to the first century reader, and is foreign to all non-Christian thought. The Word — Jesus, the person of God behind creation —became one of His own creatures. The One who created all things allowed Himself to become a part of the world He created. The idea that God would become one of His own creations, live a life like any one else, and die for His creation would be a mind-blowing concept if we hadn’t heard it a million times. Nevertheless, we should not allow ourselves to become dulled to the great humility and love of the Lord Jesus.
He took up residence on earth and was filled with glory, just like the tabernacle (portable Temple) of the Old Testament. God Himself walked the dusty roads of Judea and Galilee in a human body, and brought God’s Word and power to the people. But one of His greatest missions on earth is to turn us into temples of God through the Holy Spirit, and to shine with His glory.
God no longer wants to take up residence in one human body. Now He wants to take up residence in all of us through faith and His Spirit. — Open up your heart and invite Him in.
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