Evermore
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:1-4
Many years ago, a woman came to me just after Christmas and said, “Is it a bad thing that I’m glad Christmas is over?”
She went on to explain: a week of kids revved up on too much sugar and noisy toys, a husband with a calendar full of Christmas and holiday gatherings, obligations with coworkers and friends, and the pressure of preparing multiple holiday meals. She said, “I am exhausted. I want to lock the bathroom door, get in a hot tub for a week, and say, ‘Calgon, take me away!’”
If you’re feeling a little post-Christmas fatigue, take heart. The Gospel of John invites us to step away, not into a hot tub, but into something even more restorative. John takes us beyond the noise and exhaustion of our lives and lifts our eyes and hearts out of this world altogether. He invites us to celebrate the incarnation of Christ not just from a manger’s perspective, but from a cosmic one.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind” (John 1:1, 4).
John reminds us that before there were schedules, expectations, or exhaustion, there was Christ. And in Him was life, zoē, not merely existence, but full, abundant, purposeful life. This is the life that steadies us when we are weary, the life that restores us when joy feels spent. Christ does not just give life; He is life. And His life shines as light—quietly, faithfully—into the darkest, most tired corners of our hearts.
When the decorations come down and the energy fades, the light of Christ has not dimmed. The Word who became flesh still invites us to live in His light: a life rooted in grace, sustained by truth, and carried by hope. Christmas may be over, but the life it proclaims continues, strong, bright, and enduring.
Gracious God, we thank You for the Word made flesh, for the life and light found in Jesus Christ. When we are tired and worn, draw us back to Him. Restore our souls with His abundant life, and help us walk in His light each day. Amen.