John 1 - Perspective

There’s a transmission tower here in Cincinnati that is called the Star Tower. You can see it from a long ways off. Wikipedia’s article about it says that it is the 47th tallest tower in the world, so we’ve got that going for us (which is nice). I’ve driven right by it and it is impressive up close. Quite a thing that we humans have built. But when you get a ways off and see it in the context of the bigger picture, it still stands out but it doesn’t seem quite the same as when right up-close.

Last night, I was out for a walk while waiting for my daughter to finish up with an activity and where I was gave a great vista for sunset. The colors and clouds were beautiful last night and I saw this sight - the Star Tower and several other transmission towers silhouetted against the sunset. But in the grand scheme, in the larger picture, these towers don’t seem nearly as large.

This scene brought back what I read in the morning from John 1 as I started my third round through this Gospel.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

There’s a bigger picture that is reflected in these words - all things came into being, without the Word, not one thing came into being. Life is what came and that nothing can hide this. These are big picture types of words and images. Just like last night - there are things that we can craft but when we put it up against what God is continuing to do...well...let’s just say that God’s got the bigger picture. And for that I am grateful.