“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)
Every verse we read this week seems to double and triple my small-minded ideas of the power and glory of Jesus Christ. It’s mind-numbing enough to realize that “all things” were created by him and for him. I can’t even begin to process that.
But today’s verse piles on: All things “hold together” in him. It’s not just that he made it all or that it all had his name on it. His power is active right now. In this exact moment. Holding it all together. Without him, in other words, “all things” would fly apart in an instant.
No wonder we’re more comfortable with Jesus with his sandals and his disciples and even his hard words. His “other” identity is terrifying. We need to see his humanity so we can start to believe that a God like that could care about momentary specks in the cosmos like us.
Think: What must it have been like for Jesus, as God, to be trapped in space and time and flesh and blood like a regular person? Imagine the perfect patience it would take to put up with all of our sinful human foolishness and frailty.
Pray: Thank God for Jesus’ power in holding all things together and for the love he showed in living and dying as a mere human.
Do: Make your mental picture of Jesus even bigger.