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.
devos by chaps 