dwelt

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. ² The Word was with God in the beginning. ³ Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being ⁴ through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. ⁶ A man named John was sent from God. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. ⁸ He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light. ⁹ The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. ¹⁰ The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light, but the world didn’t recognize the light. ¹¹ The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him. ¹² But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, ¹³ born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’” ¹⁶ From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace; ¹⁷ as the Law was given through Moses, so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known. (John 1:1-18, CEB)

Verse 14 here says the Word became flesh and made his home among us. I remember this verse being The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. I thought that was from the NRSV, but it wasn’t. Dwelt is a fun word to say. The word in Greek means to come to dwell in a place defined psychologically or spiritually — ‘to take up residence, to come to reside, to come to dwell.’ Jesus set up a tent and lived where we were/are. Jesus left the kingdom and came to be where we are. Jesus took up residence where we live.

It means something when a person moves to be where you are. Usually, when we move to a place it is for work, or it could be because someone we love lives there. Jesus didn’t come for work. He came because he loves you and wants you to know that.

So go reminding people that they are loved by God and always remember you are too.

Loving People. Loving God.