Embodied HopeSample

The Word Became Flesh

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . (v. 14)

The human body is a marvelous thing. Trillions of tiny cells combine to form bone and flesh, muscle and sinew, nerves and neurons. To be human is not just to have a body; it is to be somebody.

Yet historically, the church too often has viewed the body with suspicion and disdain. Body and soul get separated, and the body is seen as a problem to overcome—a kind of prison from which the soul needs to be set free. This negative view of the body comes largely from non-Christian influences (like ancient Greek philosophy), whereas the Scriptures tell us that God created the material world and everything in it. From the dust of the ground, God formed Adam and breathed his breath into him. Our bodies are part of God’s good creation (Gen. 1:31). Yes, because Adam sinned the body is fallen and needs redemption. But God’s intent is not to free us from the corrupt shell of the body; rather, God intends to redeem us, soul and body.

This is why, in the fullness of time, God did the unthinkable: God incarnated himself in a human body—real flesh and blood. This was not just some costume or sleight of hand. In the person of Jesus, the eternal Word became flesh to redeem us as whole persons, body and soul, and to show us how to live faithfully in these bodies for the glory of God.

As you pray, thank God for the gift of your body and for the way God became flesh to redeem you.