The animated version of Disney’s Aladdin has always been one of my favorite movies. (Probably because I saw it with my husband on our second date in 1992!) There are two scenes early in the story when Aladdin asks Jasmine to do something scary, like jumping out a window or hopping on a flying carpet. He holds out his hand and says, “Do you trust me?” Because it’s a movie, she says yes—even though she has very little knowledge on which to base her trust. 

If you are a Christian, you’ve put your trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation. But when you face scary, overwhelming, or difficult situations, you may wonder if you can continue to trust Him. God’s Word gives us evidence so we know He is worthy of our trust. 

In John 1, we find many of those reasons, and we’ll look at several over the next few weeks. John introduces us to God’s Son this way: 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

The Word is eternal. Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” And here John tells us that in the beginning, before creation began, the Word was there. John goes on to explain that this “Word became flesh and dwelt among us”—God’s Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:14). 

The Word is divine. It’s not just that the Word was there or that the Word with with God—John makes the Word’s divinity clear with the simple statement, “and the Word was God.” All that’s true of God the Father—His holiness, love, faithfulness, sovereignty, power, wisdom, and so on—is also true of the Son. 

And the divine Word wasn’t just there in the beginning—He will be there in the end. In Revelation 1:17-18, Jesus says: “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” 

No matter what you face this week, you can trust the eternal Son of God. 

Share

I’ve been wrestling lately with a major life decision: Should I go with Alexa or Google for my smart home speaker? I want the most knowledgeable assistant sitting on my kitchen counter so I can ask it to play music, set timers, and tell me a joke. I’ve spent way too much time scouring the internet and trying to decide which system is best. 

My quest for the smartest smart speaker is pretty silly and trivial. But we see in Job 38-39 that when it comes to what’s truly important in life, there is One who knows more than our human minds or any computer can fathom. I’ve always thought of this familiar passage as God’s somewhat-snarky way of putting Job in his place: “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding” (Job 38:4). 

However, as we read these two chapters, we see a mind-blowing description of God’s knowledge of and rule over all of creation. I’d encourage you to grab your Bible and read Job 38-39. Here are a few highlights: 

– God determined the measurements of the earth, and the morning stars sang as He created it. (Job 38:5-7)

– God commands each and every morning. (Job 38:12)

– Each lightning bolt answers to Him as He directs them where to go. (Job 38:22-38)

– God provides food for each animal He has made. (Job 38:35)

– When a mountain goat or a deer gives birth, God knows it. (Job 39:1-4)

– God gives the seas their limits, rules over the weather, created the animals with their instincts, and puts the stars in their places. 

He is God, and you are not—this truth is both humbling and deeply comforting. The God who knows every time a mountain goat gives birth is the One who cares for you. Who sent His Son to die for you. Who made you His child and works all things together for your good. 

No matter what you face this week, you can trust the powerful, all-knowing God. 

Share