Testify! Brother John - (Mon, John 1, Psalm 119:1-32)

Good morning,
Sorry I realise I probably missed many of you who have already read, reflected and prayed over the scriptures this morning and then been disappointed not to find anything on this blog.  We'll endeavour to make sure the post is up the night before from now on.
One of the things I find when I read my Bible is I need something to slow me down.  It's easy for me to read a few chapters of the Bible, all the while my mind racing with other things, and not even remember what I've read.  A helpful way to slow yourself down is to write something down.  
There are many methods, one I find helpful is to write three things:
? - A question that I have from the passage
! - A summary sentence of what I think the passage is about
-> - An application of how my thinking needs to change, or how my behaviour needs to change or something.
In this blog, although there are two chapters set to read we won't necessarily be reflecting in detail on all of that - but zooming on on a particular section that strikes whoever it is who is writing the blog post that day.  Feel free in the comments to add your reflecting on other parts of the reading, or to comment on the part that has already been reflected upon.
Please don't read this blog as a replacement of your 'quiet time', but use it as stimulation for further thought after you've already spent some time in the word yourself.  We don't need a priest or mediator between us and God - we already have direct access through our Saviour Jesus and his Word of Grace!

So, here goes, I'll be reflecting on John 1:1-18 this morning:
? - A big question for me is why does he spend so much time on John the Baptist?
! - The big point seems to be Jesus (the Word) coming into the world to bring light and blessing to darkness.
-> An application here might be to rejoice in the blessing and grace of God that the almighty amazing eternal powerful Word that is spoken of in verses 1-5 in such majestic and amazing terms has actually come to dwell among us and bring from the fullness of his grace one blessing after another to us!

The first 5 verses are so poetic and magnificent, they are so grand and mighty, talking about the very beginning of things, creation, the Trinity.  And that makes verse 6 so surprising to me.  Why does plain old John come onto the scene wearing his funny clothes and eating locusts and honey (although we don't read about that here in John 1).  The answer I think is the big theme of witness and testimony in the book of John.  If you were to highlight every time 'witness' or 'testimony' or 'seen' words appear in these verses, you'd use up a lot of highlighting ink.  And that's because it's hard to believe that the magnificent God and creator of the first 5 verses would actually become flesh and dwell among us.  So it requires some backing up.  John testifies to Jesus, and in verse 14, we also read that the apostles (including the John that wrote this gospel) have seen his glory.  John and the apostles testify to Jesus, and then in verse 18 we see that Jesus, in turn, makes known God.  Isn't it amazing that someone so amazing and powerful as Jesus, the eternal Word of God, would come among us and even bring to us blessing, and grace and truth!

What are your reflections on this passage, or the others we've read?  Is there anything you would add to what I've said?  I'm excited to hear your thoughts as we Daily Delight in the Word together...

yours in Christ,
Ben