He Holds All Things Together

Last Sunday I preached a sermon from Colossians 1:15-20 entitled "Jesus: God of Creation and Redemption." It was a joy for me to dive into this magnificent passage which so richly proclaims the preeminence of Christ over all things.

As I was preparing to preach, a comforting thought settled upon me: In verse 17, Paul states regarding Christ, "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." It was the second half of the verse that specifically drew my attention, "...in him all things hold together."

Often, our existence in a broken, fallen world is fraught with pain, suffering and discord. In the midst of life's turmoil, we cry out to God questioning, "Why?" only to receive a deafening silence in response. Were we to judge God's disposition toward us on the basis of our circumstances, we would seemingly be forced to often conclude that he must hate us.

But we who trust in him instead can be confident in his steadfast love, not because of present circumstances, but because of the lengths to which he would go so that we might know this love. For on the cross we see the supreme example of God's love and the perfect juxtaposition of justice and grace. And while it must have seemed to all who witnessed it as the most God-forsaken moment in history, it was actually squarely in the center of God's providential plan.

So, coming back to Colossians 1:17, I am comforted by the certain knowledge that Christ is holding all things together...even when it seems for all the world that everything is falling apart.