(Delmont Record – 2/9/2016)

Holding It All Together

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.  Colossians 1:15-20 (NIV)

The last two movies I watched in the theatre both had central to their stories a mysterious energy that bound all living things together.  The “chi” of Kung Fu Panda 3 and of course the “force” of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  While I would disagree with the exact teachings and philosophies that go along with them, I do find it interesting that there is a strong draw for humanity to believe that there must be something that links the universe – one overarching entity that helps us make sense of the “why” everything exists.  While I applaud their effort, the true answer is painfully obvious. For the answer is not a what, but a who.  The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1 that the answer is the person of Jesus Christ – the image of the invisible God.  He is the firstborn of all creation.  This does not mean that He was created, but rather it speaks of His position as being above all created things.  In verse 17 it says that “in Him all things hold together.”  This is true in the physical sense – that everything in the universe exists because He wills it.  It is also true in the sense of understanding; Jesus Christ is the lens through which all things must be understood.  For verse 16 states, “all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

In verses 19-20 this lens becomes even more precise and clear.  It is not enough to consider Jesus as the creator of all things to understand that nature and purpose of the universe, but we must also regard Jesus as the one who redeemed and reconciled all things as well.  He didn’t defeat evil by sending an overweight panda or the latest trained-virtually-overnight Jedi, but He defeated evil by His own suffering, death, and resurrection. He didn’t do it for some unknown reasons known only to the universe itself, but He did it out of love.  He died for us, His creatures, because He loved us, and He desires that we might live forever in the loving peace of His presence.  So as we enter this Lenten season, let us take the time to marvel at what a great God we serve.  A God who not only has created all things but also sustains them each moment.  A God who did not just let go of us when we rejected Him, but one who holds onto us with nail-scarred hands.  I urge you to get to know this God even more this Lenten season. Give thanks to the God who created you, redeemed you, and holds you together this very moment – all out of His love.  For only by knowing Him through the lens of the cross can you ever hope to understand this universe and your place in it.