John 1:4-5, Life and Light

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus was life and light. He made the world and gives new life and light to humanity mired in the darkness of corruption. The Word shines a light of hope and salvation into this dark world. In saying that the darkness has not overcome his light, John alludes that the crucifixion is not the final act of Jesus’ life, but one that offers even more life. He is the ruler who cannot be eclipsed by evil. John also tells us that Jesus sustains all life. Everything proceeds from and is unified in him, for no once can have life without the Word, who is the life-giver to each and every person who exists.

Genesis says we are created in the image of God. John explains that the Word created them, giving them life. Being created in the image of God must have something to do with the fact that Jesus, whom Paul calls “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), is the image of God in human form. To be created in the image of God means that we are like Jesus in some way. To understand what this means, we need to look to him.

Read Genesis 1:27, and then speak to God about what it means to be made in his image.