In Him All Things Hold Together

In Him All Things Hold Together

 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Colossians 1:15-20

 

These verses conjure up a hazy memory: sitting cross legged on a worn carpet square in the middle of a musty church hall. The walls are covered in fabric banners depicting the Fruit of the Spirit, lions lying down with lambs, an empty tomb. An easel displays flannelgraphs of Noah and his ark, friends lowering a paralysed man through the roof, grown up baby Jesus with inexplicably pink skin, white robe, blue sash. 

“In him all things hold together” a floral clad Sunday school teacher declares, stomping her sensible shoes on the floorboards for attention. “But how?” I wonder later, sipping on watered down lemon cordial, futilely searching for a Kingston in a sea of Milk Arrowroots, “How could those tiny felt hands hold anything at all?”. It seemed as impossible as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego getting chucked in that fiery furnace and never burning up. 

Years later these verses are just as baffling to comprehend, but pivotal for my life and faith. That everything, absolutely everything, got started in Jesus and finds its purpose in him. That everything in our common home - people and plants, animals and atoms, swirling stars and glowing suns, broken hearts and wounded bodies, stolen land and violent oppressors - is healed, renewed, reconciled through Jesus’ radical love.

And through his once for all death comes life: abundant joyful dove-filled life.

_____________

Artwork: Through and For, Felt with wool yarn and embroidery thread

Meredith Walker-Harding lives on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. She and her husband Phil run Joey Games where they make board games about Australia for kids and adults to play together. Meredith has studied biology, theology, and cross-cultural communication and loves cooking, crafting, and cats.

This devotional is the nineteenth in a series of daily email devotionals for Advent 2023. This year's series reflects on the longing, hope, and beauty of God’s ‘Common Home’ being realised, revealed, and renewed through the birth of Jesus.

Would you like to receive the rest of this email series?

Sign up here to receive this daily series delivered to your inbox.