The Living Word
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”
Let me simplify what Nate and I have been talking about for the past few months related to abiding, the secret place, and loving the law of the Lord. Jesus is the living word that is revealed through the written Word with the help of Holy Spirit. The written Word is a doorway into encountering the living Word, Jesus Christ.
We are not fortunate enough to have the experience of the disciples like John is referencing. However, while we wait for his return, we can experience intimately knowing him through prayerfully reading the written Word.
In Luke 24:13-35, we read about two disciples encountering Jesus and not recognizing him. Jesus walks and talks with the two. Luke 24:27 points out that as they walked and talked, Jesus, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Eventually, after Jesus vanished from their sight and they realized it was him, they say, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scripture?” The burning these two experienced is possible for us to experience today. How? Through prayerfully reading the written Word, which reveals the living Word.
When we see Jesus, the living Word, in the written Word, our hearts come alive, and we begin to fellowship with Jesus. We begin to have conversations and connect with him.
At Abiding Daily we are providing you with Holy Spirit-inspired invitations that are based on the written Word. These invitations are simply meant to inspire you to encounter the living Word, Jesus Christ, through the written Word. We are deeply convicted that fellowship with God starts with an open Bible and a desire to see Jesus in it.
That does not mean every day will bring warm fuzzies and power encounters. But it does mean a lifelong habit of prayerfully reading the written Word will be formed in you that positions you to grow in intimacy with Jesus Christ.
I invite you to open your Bibles and turn to Luke 24:13-35. Read the story and ask God to reveal the living Word, Jesus Christ, through the written Word. Tell God you want a burning heart when you read the scriptures. Tell him you want to grow in seeing and connecting with Jesus through the written Word.
All-New Podcast
Go further with the ministry of Abiding Daily by listening to our podcast. We just released our first episode that you can stream on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can always listen directly on our website here.
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Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
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Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.
