Colossians 1:17-18
17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Years ago, I worked at a warehouse. We were unloading trucks and placing bundles on pallets. These were tightly bound bundles of metal tubing bent into brake, transmission, and water lines for trucks. They were very springy and had to be carefully compressed, then quickly banded, or they would spring out everywhere. A new guy took out his wire cutters and started cutting the bands on one of the bundles just as I yelled for him to stop; they popped open, and fluid lines sprang everywhere.
Reflecting on today’s verses, we are reminded of Christ’s complete power and purpose to “hold things together.” The workings of our universe, our solar system, and the ecological and physiological processes on this planet would fall into chaos and destruction—similar to springs without the controlling force of metal bands.
If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably taken around 12 breaths. Remember that God willed each of those breaths. That means if it wasn’t His will for your next breath, you wouldn’t take it!
Sir Isaac Newton, the English mathematician and physicist, developed a theory that seemed to unify science and theology, but not Scripture. His idea of creation was that God is a watchmaker, and the universe His watch. He assembled it, wound it, and set it in motion, then let it run. Newton theorized that God’s involvement in the workings of creation, in “holding all things together,” ended with the completion of the universe, which he saw as a perfect watch. But God’s care goes far deeper. He loves us too much to leave us fending for ourselves. We need God to hold and sustain all things.
I have a pocket watch that once belonged to my father-in-law. It is 129 years old and was found in a drawer after his passing. The watch, neglected for decades, has stopped working. Its 200 internal moving parts are now silent because they cannot be wound. Only one hand remains, and its case is tarnished. In 1896, a skilled watchmaker carefully assembled, polished, and wound this watch before putting it into use. He was undoubtedly very proud of his work, but once it was left in the hands of a man, it slowly corroded.
Leonard’s pocket watch
We need God to hold and sustain all things. He is not a watchmaker. As Creator and Sustainer, He is constantly active in our lives. It is His will that awakens us each morning, grants us rest each night, and guides us throughout the day. Because of His sovereignty and power, He holds the highest place in everything.
Despite His great creative and sustaining power, He is the true sacrificial Lamb for all humanity. He was the first to be raised from the dead, victorious over death and sin. Many have followed Him, and many more will be “born from the dead.” His power brings life to those who are spiritually dead. He alone has the power to save. Give thanks today, with every breath you take, to your Lord, Creator, Sustainer, and Savior!