Wednesday, August 15, 2012

THE GLUE THAT HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER


 
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together”. Colossians 1:17
As brilliant as our modern day scientists are, they’ve never quite come up with an explanation of how the atom is held together. Many theories, but they just haven’t been able to ‘nail it’.  I wish they’d read the Bible, then they’d know that in Jesus, all things hold together. Jesus is the glue!

          The summer heat invaded the San Diego area last week. I will admit, we who live here are so weather-spoiled. We’re praising God for air conditioning. Once you have it, you wouldn’t want to give it up. Life is so much more pleasant!
          I’ve done a little research and found that there’s a long history of people searching for ways to be more comfortable in hot weather. Ancient Egypt understood the basic concept of cooling by water evaporation. In Ancient Rome, water was circulated through the walls of homes to cool them down, and the Persians used a system of cisterns and wind towers to cool their buildings. And that was very long time ago! We’ve come a long way.
What else would be hard to live without once you’ve had it?
·       Modern medicine
·       Automobiles
·       Computers
·       I – everything, phones, pods, pads
·       Television
·       Ice cream and coconut fried shrimp
Just to name a few. I told our kids several years ago that I certainly would have no use for a cell phone, not ever.  Then, I got one and if I reach into my purse and find I don’t have it with me, I panic! Guess I’m hooked.
           I’ve had something so very special in my life for the last thirty-nine years that if I had to give it up, my life would change in a heartbeat – everything would be different. What could be so important? A personal relationship with the Living Lord!  I’d rather lose everything else than have this taken away from me. And, the very good news is that it never will or can be taken away.  Once you belong to the Lord, you are His forever!
        God came to earth in the person of Jesus. He walked among us for thirty-three years, was crucified on a cross, buried and rose again on the third day – this is the gospel, the ‘Good News’. The resurrected Jesus stayed on earth in a ‘glorified’ body for another forty days; over five hundred people saw Him. (Luke 24, I Corinthians 15)  Then He left the earth to sit on the right hand of God the Father. He didn’t leave us alone to stumble through this world.  He left us with His Holy Spirit who would come to live in all those who believe Jesus is the Lord.  Jesus’ Spirit living in US – you and me! We don’t need to find our way in the dark; we can walk in the light of His presence. 
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”  Galatians 2:20

        If Jesus Christ came back into the world today, He may look different. I’m not sure, but He might. Two thousand years ago He came in robes, because people of that day wore robes.  Today, He’d probably come in blue jeans.  He may even have a Face Book account! We have so many ways of relating to one another now – cell phone, e-mail, texting and faxing.  I’m sure I’ve missed some. But what is most gratifying is a personal relationship. If we never, or seldom, have a face-to-face, touch one another, look into each other’s eyes, breathe in the aroma of them – our relationship can’t be completely ‘personal’, but with God it can be.
         Since we are unable to experience these things – at the moment – a face to face encounter with Jesus, we live by faith, we talk to Him, and we grow to trust Him and recognize His sovereignty and see His hand in all that happens.  God has given us His living Word so we can learn of Him through the Holy Scriptures. 

        He will return again – for sure, He promised! But until that day comes, He has left us with the third part of the triune God – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. One God in three different forms.  H2O can be seen in three different forms, water, ice and steam, but is one substance.  How about us. . .we may be a mother/father, sister/brother, and daughter/ son – one in the same person, but with three different roles. So it is with God, one person in three forms.
       Jesus wants us to have a personal, intimate relationship with His Spirit. His Spirit will teach, motivate, comfort, protect, counsel, show us truth and be our best friend.  
       Our lives here on earth are fragile, we are fragile! God made us that way so we’d come to Him and count on His love and faithfulness, not on our worldly wisdom. Life can be a struggle! Try as we may, we sometimes just can’t hold it all together. It may be our health that needs attention, maybe our finances, our marriage, family members, our job isn’t working for us – or maybe we don’t have a job anymore.  We have no peace.

“For he himself (Jesus) is our peace. . .” Ephesians 2:14.  
Not only is Jesus our peace, He’s the glue that holds everything together!
Lord,  I thank you for holding all things together, for holding me together, and for giving me the gift of faith to believe. 






HE GLUE THAT HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER