Advent Devotional by Linda Armstrong

John 1:1-14

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)

As someone who delights in the power of words, I have long been fascinated by the rich meaning of the ancient Latin translation which gives us the passage, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Our word “with” in English is so casual and unassuming. As if one might be hanging out with friends. The word used in Latin has a meaning closer to “among,” and the noun for God is rendered in dynamic action rather than static location. Christ is described as flowing through and commingling with God, encompassing and infusing the Deity in the most powerful yet intimate fellowship.

So when “the Word is made flesh and dwelt among us,” I envision the same enveloping presence. One which can overwhelm the darkness of circumstances. One which powerfully supports and sustains and comforts. This Christmas comes to many of us after a long season of sickness and loss, stress and distress. In my own life, this time of year has always been one where the boundaries between this world and what lies beyond seem thin, and over the years several loved ones have slipped through to the other side. I bring my cares to this moment, waiting.

In a season of waiting, in the dark and the cold of Christmas Eve when hope could expire, Christ slips into our world through the thinness. He arrives like a candle in the darkness and grows to engulf our whole being with His immersive presence. The Word is not simply “with” us; He is among each and every one of us in powerful yet intimate fellowship. This brings me hope; it is the source of my joy.  

Verbum apud Deum, apud nos. Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Linda Armstrong