Holding It Together

“He is before all things, and in him

all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:17 (NIV)

When our children were small, my husband and I decided to buy them a swing set. I was in favor of a simple one with one swing, a glider and a slide.

But my husband felt that with three children bigger was better and we ended up with a monster set complete with monkey bars and every swing, slide and glider known to man. 

           

Stamped on the box in huge letters were these words: “five minute assembly, instructions included.”

May I tell you that it took five minutes just to pull the parts out of the box and another 55 minutes to find all the nuts, bolts and screws that fell out on the ground? It did. And TWO days later (yes, you read that right), only the frame was assembled.

When we finally completed the job (“we” meaning my husband, his brother and two curious truck drivers who came over after delivering a dryer next door), there was some resemblance to the picture on the carton. But there were problems.

The bolts that came with the set weren’t long enough to hold the rides onto the frame and the frame itself was not sturdy enough to support one child, much less three. In addition, some important parts – like chains for the swings – were missing.

We had to reinforce the entire frame and change the bolts and screws for every ride on it, just to get it to hold together. Our five minute assembly was finally completed - in five days.

Life is like that sometimes. Instructions say one thing but reality says something totally different. Relationships that promise “forever” fall apart and no amount of reinforcement can hold them together.

A career that was supposed to have been a perfect fit until retirement crumbles to the ground without warning and we struggle to pick up all the pieces.

In today’s Scripture in Colossians 1:17, Paul shares a part of Christ’s character that is vital to us as believers. When we have lost all hope, when there is no earthly way a problem can be solved or a relationship mended, Jesus the Creator is able to hold ALL things together. Not some things. Not a few things. But ALL things.

While we know there may be times when restoration of certain situations or relationships may not occur, we also know that God remains in control.

Where are you today? Are you facing a situation that promised to be a “five minute assembly” but, weeks or months later, there is no solution in sight?

 When you cannot hold it together, call on the One who can. No instructions needed.

Father, thank you for holding my life together in your hands and keeping me on solid ground through your faithfulness and love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like everything in your life was falling apart and you had no hope?

• Was your first reaction to take it to the Lord or to give up?

Application

• Journal a situation that you are currently facing that does not seem to have an earthly solution.

• Spend time in prayer with Jesus and ask Him to take that situation and reassemble it for His glory. Praise Him for His faithfulness in all things.

Power Verses

• Colossians 1:17 (NIV) “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

• Acts 17:28 (NIV) “For in him we live and move and have our being . . .”

• Psalm 75:3 (NIV) “When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.”