Sit With Mystery

Over the years of reading the Scripture, I have always found myself a bit partial to the gospel of John.  In the beginning I simply realized that it was different than the first three which I later learned to lump together as the Synoptic Gospels.  The gospel of John offers imagery that invites us to allow our pondering spirit to wander.  It paints portraits of people who are not mentioned in any of the other renderings of the gospel story.  And, it opens up windows that enable us to see Jesus as He moved about being with people, teaching, healing, and praying. 

 

As the year begins to unfold again with a sense of newness, I find myself once again turning to its familiar pages for still another reading.  We may read most books only once, but the Scripture is a writing we read many times in the course of a lifetime.  One of those sections I never tire of reading and always leave with a sense of wonder and mystery is known as the Prologue of John's gospel.  It begins with words which stretch our minds back to a time before the beginning, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God."  (John 1:1-2)

For those who want to go quickly from point A to point B, these beginning words may be uncomfortable words, but for those who are willing to sit with holy mystery, they contain a Word that is unfolding revelation.  The longer we sit with these words, the greater the mystery and the more we realize we do not know about the One who came among us in the flesh, died on the cross as a delivering sin sacrifice, and rose from the grave in such a way as to open death's door to eternity for all of us who would choose to walk in faith with Him.