Scripture: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
Observation: This verse fits hand-in-glove with the one before it. In truth, they should be read together. The continued emphasis on Jesus (“He is…”, “in Him…”) and “all things" clearly binds them. But since this is a scripture reflection practice and not rigorous interpretation, I’m taking this one separately because something draws my attention that I want to think about for a moment: “in Him all things hold together.”
Jesus is the One who sustains all of creation, all of life itself. Which means that Jesus is the One who sustains my very life. I like that phrase: “hold together.” I know Paul is talking about the cosmic scale of Jesus’ might. And I know that makes it all the more true on this small yet significant scale called my life. I know what it’s like to have the spinning chaos of life seemingly threaten to rip “all things” apart. Many know it much more intimately than I—well beyond “seemingly.” As a pastor, I’ve had conversations in which I learned about the particular heartaches, trials, and traumas that some of my people have themselves experienced. It’s truly more than anyone can bear. How did they make it? According to them, they hung on to Jesus, the One who commanded the wind and the waves to cease, for dear life.
Application: Where do you turn when “all things” in life are pulling apart? How have you experienced Jesus holding things together for you?
Prayer: Lord, be my strength, my Rock, and my Refuge. Keep me close and holding on to you. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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During crisis times and they will come, all one has to do is ask Jesus for help. He will come. One of the most difficult times in my life was when my late husband was diagnosed with glioblastoma, terminal brain cancer. It was the worst 9 months in my life, traumatic. How to cope and handle my grief while still trying to give hope to my loved one through surgery and harsh treatment, hospice and death. Prayer to Him and the safe comfort He sent, before and after and the courage to go on with my life afterward. Yes, Jesus is the light, the way.