Journal Entry // October 27, 2021
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
Hebrews 1:3a ESV
This is one of my favorite verses that always makes an impression upon me when I read it. I love the simplicity of the wording and how it all flows together. But more than that, I am always encouraged when I read this verse as it reminds me and realigns my mentality about the beauty and power of Jesus. My thinking about Jesus will drift over time to a place of comfort. Comfort in the sense that I will put Jesus in a box on a shelf in my mind and think to myself that I know him and can bring him out of that box whenever I need him. This verse reminds me how futile my think really is.
Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory… The glory of God shines fully through Jesus. Jesus is not some mythical representation or some man who was a great teacher. He is the radiance of God’s glory. I am drawn to Jesus through this radiance. Like a moth is drawn to the flame, so too am I drawn to Jesus. His beauty is in this radiance. And he calls me to come and bask in this radiance and let it cover me with it’s warmth and brilliance.
Jesus is the exact imprint of his nature… The gospels are not just stories about a good man who lived a good life. They reveal to us the true nature of God. Jesus is in every way the perfect picture of God. There is not one misplaced comment or one misstep in his life. Each and every action was done with the exact imprint of God’s nature. This is why it’s so vital to stay in the word of God continually. It’s not enough to have a basic understanding of the life of Jesus. It’s not enough to just know the stories of his life. I need to immerse myself in the gospels to see the nature of God revealed. The gift of God is that he not only brought his nature to life through human form, but that he allows us to know about his nature through his word. In the gospels, I see the nature of God lived out before me. I can better understand my savior through his word. I can draw near to Jesus as I read the details of his life lived out in perfection.
He uphold the universe… Lest I forget, I am reminded that Jesus is The power. He upholds everything by the word of his power. Jesus, meek and mild. Jesus, gentle and lowly. These are both true, but so is the fact that Jesus holds everything together. He is the one that not only knows each and every atom in the universe, but he empowers them. He is in absolute control of all things in this universe. There is not one stray atom outside his control and authority. All things find their being in him alone.
Why do I doubt and fear? It’s because I take my eyes off Jesus and look at the world around me for meaning and significance. My meaning and significance is bound up in the one who is all things. This Jesus has called me out of the darkness to come be with him in the light of his glorious radiance and power. He loves me. He loves me not because of anything I have done or will do, but because he loves me. It gives him pleasure to shower me in his love. He loves me because he loves me.