The Anchor for Our Storm

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ~ Colossians 1:17

Have you ever been in the midst of a storm and asked, “Who’s in control right now?” Well, right there in the middle of Colossians 1 we get the answer: Jesus Christ.

Paul begins the chapter by addressing Jesus as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). If you want to know what God looks like, just look at Jesus. It’s not a representation; it’s a revelation. It’s not a hint; it’s a person. God didn’t create this universe, with the earth and everything in it, by accident. “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible” (v.16). Everything you can see and more that you can’t, every galaxy and solar system, blade of grass and particle of dust, sunrise and snowflake, heartbeat and breath, “were created through Him and for Him.”

Stop and think about that: you were created through Christ and for Christ. Not for your career, social media status, or to feel comfortable. You were created for Him, to bring Him glory. And just as everything is made in and through Jesus Christ, “in Him all things hold together”. The reason the world isn’t in complete chaos is because Jesus is holding everything together. The same power that holds up the universe keeps you going, too.

But Paul says not only is Christ the Creator and Sustainer of all things but He is also the Chief of the church. “He is the head of the body, the church”. Christ is not only the Maker of the world but also the Ruler of His church. The church is not there to bend God to our will; we are there to bow to His authority. Jesus is the head; we are the body. We are not apart from Him; we are one with Him. And as the head, He commands, and as the body, we are to obey. To be sure, there are those who want a Savior but not a Saviour, a piece of the Godhead but not the Godhead in full. But if we are to follow the teaching of Scripture, we must confess that Jesus Christ must be “preeminent in everything.”

And then, just as Paul moves from cosmic to specific, He moves from vertical to horizontal. “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death” (v.21–22). Before Christ, we were not just lost; we were actively opposed to God. In Jesus, we were not just lost; we were lost and fighting against God. But Christ took our hostility and made us His friends. The reconciliation is not just because Jesus can do it, but that He came to do it. Jesus Christ died for you and for me to mend a relationship that only He could piece back together.

And Paul warns us that this reconciliation is not to be in vain. “If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel” (v.23). Faith does not just begin well, it must continue well. The same Christ who makes you a child of God is the One who sanctifies you for His purposes. Jesus does not start the work and leave you on your own. He does not begin it and leave it half-done. He starts the work, and in Him, it holds together until the day of completion.

So next time you feel like the world is falling apart, remember Jesus Christ is holding it all together. Your life may be a mess, but in Christ, it’s not. You don’t have to be the one holding everything up¸you’re not. Let it fall. Jesus Christ is the reason everything is and the reason everything holds together. He’s not only the cause of creation; He’s the reason for redemption. May we gaze upon this Great Christ who is above all and in whom all things hold together.

 

Jeremiah 4:19-6:15
Colossians 1:18-2:7
Psalm 77:1-20
Proverbs 24:23-25 

 

Read Today’s Scripture – Click Here

Click on the Play Button below to Listen to Today’s Scripture

 

---

When You Can’t Sleep but God Still Moves

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. ~ Psalms 77:11

Ever been up at 2 a.m. with your mind racing, your heart heavy, and your prayers feeling like they’re bouncing off the ceiling? That’s where Asaph was in Psalm 77. He writes, “I cry aloud to God… In the day of my trouble I seek the LORD; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted” (vv.1-2). This isn’t a man sipping tea and humming hymns. This is a man so burdened that his “eyelids are held open” (v.4). He’s asking the hard questions: “Has His steadfast love forever ceased? Are His promises at an end for all time?”

If you’ve ever been there, you’re in good company. The Bible never hides the raw moments of God’s people. But notice the turning point. Asaph says, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old”. When his present looked dark, he reached back and pulled out God’s track record. He began to rehearse the Red Sea, the thunder, the lightning, the unseen footprints that led Israel safely through. In other words, he let God’s past faithfulness preach to his current fear.

That’s the shift you and I need in our midnight hour. Instead of replaying our worries, we rehearse His works. Instead of magnifying the problem, we magnify the Promise Keeper. “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?” (v.13). When you remember that the same arm that split the sea still holds you, your faith rises even if your circumstances haven’t changed yet.

So the next time you’re up and can’t sleep, don’t just scroll your phone. Lift your hands. Recall His wonders. Open your Bible. Pray Psalm 77 out loud. The God whose “footprints were unseen” is still leading His flock today. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He hasn’t forgotten you, and He hasn’t lost His power.

 

---

Overview: Colossians  –  Click Here

---

 

Views: 2