“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (1 John 1:1). I believe that this verse can really help us to understand better and deepen our relationship with the Word of God as found in the scriptures and delivered by living Prophets and Apostles. In the beginning there is the Word. When we first start out, we’re just reading the scriptures because our parents or our leaders tell us to. We may pay attention to what we are reading and we may not. We may feel some glimmers of light and wisdom as we are reading but then we put our scriptures down and we move on with our day. And the Word was with God. If we spend enough time reading and studying the scriptures, sooner or later the Word of God will sink deep into our soul. It will remain with us. We will think about what we have read and studied and learned throughout our day. We will find ways that the Word will apply to the various challenges and situations that we face on a daily basis. As we keep the Word with us, we will grow in wisdom and grace and stature with God and among men. We will be wiser, more patient, and more compassionate. We will hold fast to our faith and allow the storms of life to wash over us without moving us from the rock to which we are anchored. And the Word was God. As we continuously hold fast to the Word and keep it with us from moment to moment, the Word will no longer be something separate from us. The Word will become us and we will become the Word. We will be living, breathing testaments to the power and wisdom and mercy of our Lord. Just as Jesus Christ uttered scriptures as easily and as freely as breathing, so too will we find that the Word is in us and all around us, as all things testify that there is a God and reflect back His light and His glory and His love. It is no accident that we use the term Translated - the act of converting a word from one language to another - to describe those who have transcended their mortal journey and returned to God. I hope that we can all continually deepen our efforts to not only have the Word, but to keep it with us and to be the Word, until we have been fully translated, word for Word.
