1John 1:1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life
I love this verse because it gives us further insight into the relevance, and reality of Christ. He is referred to as “The Word of life.” In the Gospel of John He refers to Himself as the “Light of Life.” To be the Word of Life, I’m reminded of what Deuteronomy 8 says when God declares that Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Man can’t live without food, water, and air, and even more can’t live without the Word of God. He is truly the Word of Life.
It is therefore imperative that we make it our highest priority to get with Jesus and allow Him to speak Words of Life to us. Numbers says He wants to speak to us mouth to mouth, as if He is breathing the kind of air we need to live, in us. Separate us from the breath of God and we die. Again, we must then, pay whatever glorious price we have to pay to to sit at His feet and experience His life giving words.
I used the word experience on purpose, because that is what hearing His voice should be. His voice is like the sound of many waters. Its a thundering, life altering sound. Notice how John describes his encounter with this Word of Life. He said he heard, but not just heard, he heard, saw, beheld (gazed on, or to gawk over), touched. That is the kind of words we live by; not just some mamby, pamby, quiet-time kind of word, but a hearing, seeing, gawking, touching kind of word. The encountering Jesus kind of word that Plunders your heart. An Upheaval, Stirring, Ruining, Emancipating, Incarcerating, Inebriating, Untamed kind of Word. The kind of Word that wonderfully shreds your heart for God. The kind of Word that releases Eternal Life in us. His presence; sitting at His feet, beholding His beauty, experiencing His voice; is by far the most the most Magnificent Obsession you’ll ever cultivate.