The power of All

One of the cool things about learning original languages is how it impacts reading the Bible.  Hebrews 1:3 is often translated “sustaining all things by his powerful word.”

When I read “all things,” I naturally limit my thinking to…things.  In fact, the ESV translates “all things” as “universe” which for me means the physical world.  The original Greek simply says “all.”  As I was reading the passage and looking at the Greek, it struck me how powerful the idea of “all” can be.

Limiting my thinking to “stuff” or “things” misses the complexity of life.  We live in a physical reality but we also believe there is a spiritual reality and our minds can take us all over the place.

When I see Jesus Christ in his proper place as sustaining “all,” it is truly profound.  We know from Genesis God spoke to create the physical world.  The rest of Hebrews 1:3 shows Jesus sitting down in the spiritual world.  Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take every thought captive” putting my wandering mind in it’s place.  “All” shifts the focus from things swirling around in my world to seeing God’s larger world.

“All” puts a lot of things in perspective.

I hope this thought will cause you to also pause and reflect like it did for me.  We serve an amazing God who truly has the big picture and sustains all.

Double fisted grip

Today we drop our oldest son off at college.  There is a crazy mix of emotions.  We are excited for him.  We are proud of him.  We are scared.  We are sad.  We will miss him.  When I was sitting in the parent orientation and they were showing a video on dorm life, I could feel the tears trying to surface.  My son is leaving home.  I have to let go.

I am thankful God never does.  In John 10:28-29 Jesus gives us this picture of his grip on those who follow him.

²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

He is confident that no one can grab them from him.  Then, He goes a step further and says his Father also has his hand in the picture.  I love this picture of a double fisted grip.  I see it as us being in Jesus’ hand and Jesus’ hand being in his Father’s hand.

When our son was 10, I demonstrated this by putting a small rock in my hand and then wrapping my other hand around it.  I challenged him to try and get the rock.  He worked hard but was only able to pry a couple of fingers off the outer hand.  He still had to make through the second hand.  Needless to say the rock stayed secure in my double fisted grip.  (After he wrestled through High School and worked out all summer I am not sure I would try this now.)

How does this apply to our lives?  It gives us confidence as we face the day.  Situations and circumstances will constantly change.   We will have good days and not so good days.  No matter what our day brings at the end of it we will still be in the double fisted grip of God.  This leads to a change in perspective.  It is easy to see that this life is not always fair.  God sees it from a much broader perspective that includes all of eternity.  As I am sitting in God’s hand, I can begin to look at the world from God’s perspective (much easier said than done).   God never promised us an easy or safe life.  He promised a rich and rewarding life.  We live out our faith trusting God has a better perspective.  This gives us confidence.  A continuous loop is started.  As our confidence grows, we gain a better perspective which increases our confidence.

I want my son to have a rich and rewarding life.  I know he will face hard times.  I know he will face times when life will be unfair.  I also know God will hold him in that double fisted grip.  I will have to let go and have confidence God won’t (also much easier said than done).

Sometime today take a small object and put it in your own double fisted grip.  Thank God for his double fisted grip on your life.  My prayer is this simple exercise will increase your confidence and change your perspective.