In The Beginning…

“In the beginning was the Word…” - John 1:1

I had a Philosophy prof in college that would remind us of that fact every time we found ourselves out in the deep end of philosophical concepts that left us disoriented and on unstable ground. His reasoning for repeating this mantra time and time again was pretty simple - if you lose sight of where you’ve come from, you are going to have trouble figuring out where you are and where you are going.

“In the beginning was the Word...”

With this Word, he planted our feet on a firm foundation. With this Word, he took us back to our beginning in Christ. With this Word, he confirmed who and whose we were and where we were going.

“In the beginning was the Word...”

The start of a new school year has a way of bringing with it a host of uncertainties, instability, and disorienting experiences. As these next few weeks unfold, you’ll likely find yourself wrestling with more questions than you have answers for. Where am I? Why am I here? What classes do I want to take? Do I really want to pursue this career? Why is SIUE’s campus so spread out? Where did I even park? New classes will introduce new concepts and you might find yourself questioning all you thought you believed.

For all these questions and more there is John 1:1.

“In the beginning was the Word…”

As the new school year begins, I want you to remember this verse. Remember that your story begins with Jesus calling you from death to life. You are where you are today because of his love for you. You belong to Jesus and you are exactly where you need to be to do the work he has given you to do: love God, and serve your neighbor with joy.

“In the beginning was the Word…”

That’s your origin story. In the beginning was Jesus - the Father’s Word of love for you.

It’s true! Jesus loves you.

So go, get out there and make preparations for the coming school year with the radical audacity of one who knows exactly who they are and where they are going.

See you soon.