Ash Wednesday (February 18). Just a witness

​Prepare to Listen.  For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  (1 Corinthians 4:6)
 
Prayerfully Read John 1:6-9
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.  9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
 
Prayerfully Wonder
John’s Gospel begins with profound theology about “the Word.”  Abruptly that changes to the mundane: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was….”  We expect to read Jesus.  Instead, we read, John.  We want more about the Word.  We get John.  A man, a human being like us.  He’s nothing special; just “a witness to testify to the light.”  Not even the light.  He “came to testify to the light,” prepare the world for the light that was coming into the world “so that all might believe through” John.  Just a witness.
 
John’s opening words are the same as the first book of the Bible: “in the beginning.”  This means that salvation and creation belong together.  Salvation is about creation, or rather recreation as God restores all things to their original goodness.  God’s first spoken words in Genesis were, “Let there be light” (Gen 1:3).  One of the first truths we learn about Jesus—he is light.  What God spoke in the beginning comes to fulfillment in Jesus, the light of life.
 
Light’s chief characteristic is to reveal stuff.  Everything within its rays becomes known.  But the thing about light is that we’ll never see the stuff it reveals if we only look at the light.  We must look at what the light reveals.  And the closer we get to the light, the clearer things become.  The closer we get to the light the more we’ll realize we’re also just a witness to the light.

The light has come into the world.  How can you be a witness to it today?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord, thank you for the light that is life.  Help me come closer to your light to see my world more clearly and honestly so that I live in greater faithfulness to you.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  Be a witness to the Light.