Day 1 | January 6 | John 1 & Psalm 1

By Patti Basin

John 1 opens the Gospel by showing us who Jesus is — the Word who was with God from the beginning, who brings life and light into a dark world. Even though He came into the world He created, many did not recognize Him. Yet John reminds us that those who do receive Jesus are given the right to become children of God, not because of family background or effort, but because of God’s grace.

This chapter also tells us that the Word became flesh and lived among us. God is not distant; He came near in Jesus, full of grace and truth. John the Baptist points people to Jesus as the Lamb of God, and the chapter ends with ordinary people responding to Jesus’ simple invitation to “come and see,” beginning a life of following Him.

Psalm 1 describes two different ways to live. One way is rooted in God — delighting in His instruction and choosing not to follow the patterns of the world. That person is compared to a tree planted by streams of water, steady and nourished, producing fruit in the right season. The other way leads to instability and loss, like chaff that is easily blown away. Psalm 1 reminds us that a life grounded in God’s truth leads to growth, stability, and blessing.

John 1 tells us who we are in Christ, and Psalm 1 shows us how a life rooted in that identity grows and bears fruit.

John 1:12–13 talks about being received and given the right to become a child of God — not because of where you come from or what you’ve done, but because of God’s grace. As someone who was adopted, John 1:12–13 brings me a great deal of comfort. For many years, I struggled with feelings of being alone and not truly belonging. These verses speak directly into those thoughts and gently wipe them away. They remind me that my identity is not defined by birth or circumstance, but by God’s choice.

I know I’m not alone in this. Many people today wrestle with the pressure to fit in, to be accepted, and to feel like they belong in a world that often ties worth to appearance, success, or background. John 1:12–13 offers a different and lasting truth: we are received and chosen by God, and our belonging is rooted in His grace, not in the world’s standards.

Because of my experience with adoption, this passage invites me to live with confidence in my identity as God’s child. I don’t need to question whether I belong or strive to earn my place. Instead, I can rest in the assurance that I have been received by God. Practically, this means allowing my identity in Christ to shape my daily choices, my relationships, and my response to challenges. This verse offers each of us the same invitation — to live rooted and secure in God’s grace, like the tree described in Psalm 1, planted and nourished by Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You for receiving me and calling me Your child through Your grace. When I struggle with questions of belonging or feel pressure to measure myself by the world’s standards, help me remember who You say I am. Teach me to live each day rooted in You, drawing life and strength from Your Word, and trusting that my identity is secure in You. May my life bear fruit that reflects Your love, and may I walk forward with confidence, knowing I am chosen, known, and deeply loved by You. I pray all this in the name of Jesus, Amen.