"[Christ] upholds all things by the word of His power" (Heb. 1:3).
Christ, by His almighty power, holds together all creation.
We base our entire lives on the constancy of physical laws. When something like an earthquake disrupts the normal condition or operation of things even a little, the consequences are often disastrous. Can you imagine what would happen if Jesus Christ relinquished His sustaining power over the laws of the universe for it is He in whom "all things hold together" (Col. 1:17)? We would go out of existence, our atoms scattering throughout the galaxy.
If He suspended the laws of gravity only for a brief moment, we would lose all points of reference. If any of the physical laws varied slightly, we could not exist. Our food could turn to poison; we ourselves could drift out into space or get flooded by the ocean tides. Countless other horrible things could happen.
But the universe remains in balance because Jesus Christ sustains and monitors all its movements and interworkings. He is the principle of cohesion. He is not the deist's "watchmaker" creator, who made the world, set it in motion, and has not bothered with it since. The reason the universe is a cosmos instead of chaos—an ordered and reliable system instead of an erratic and unpredictable muddle—is the upholding power of Jesus Christ.
The entire universe hangs on the arm of Jesus. His unsearchable wisdom and boundless power are manifested in governing the universe. And He upholds it all by the word of His power. The key to the Genesis creation is in two words: "God said." God spoke and it happened.
When I contemplate Christ's power to uphold the universe, I'm drawn to the wonderful promise of
Philippians 1:6:
6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:
"I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." When Christ begins a work in your heart, He doesn't end there. He continually sustains it until the day He will take you into God's very presence. A life, just as a universe, that is not sustained by Christ is chaos.
Suggestions for Prayer
Ask God to remind you of Christ's sustaining power when you endure your next trial.
For Further Study
Read
Job 38-39
Chapter 38 1 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone thereof, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Or `who' shut up the sea with doors, When it brake forth, `as if' it had issued out of the womb; 9 When I made clouds the garment thereof, And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it, 10 And marked out for it my bound, And set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed? 12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days `began', `And' caused the dayspring to know its place; 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? 14 It is changed as clay under the seal; And `all things' stand forth as a garment: 15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, And the high arm is broken. 16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep? 17 Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death? 18 Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all. 19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof, 20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, And that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof? 21 `Doubtless', thou knowest, for thou wast then born, And the number of thy days is great! 22 Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, Against the day of battle and war? 24 By what way is the light parted, Or the east wind scattered upon the earth? 25 Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, Or the way for the lightning of the thunder; 26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; On the wilderness, wherein there is no man; 27 To satisfy the waste and desolate `ground', And to cause the tender grass to spring forth? 28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew? 29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? 30 The waters hide themselves `and become' like stone, And the face of the deep is frozen. 31 Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the bands of Orion? 32 Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her train? 33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth? 34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee? 35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, And say unto thee, Here we are? 36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind? 37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, 38 When the dust runneth into a mass, And the clods cleave fast together? 39 Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40 When they couch in their dens, `And' abide in the covert to lie in wait? 41 Who provideth for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry unto God, `And' wander for lack of food? Chapter 39 1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? `Or' canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? 2 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? 3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, They cast out their pains. 4 Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field; They go forth, and return not again. 5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass, 6 Whose home I have made the wilderness, And the salt land his dwelling-place? 7 He scorneth the tumult of the city, Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver. 8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, And he searcheth after every green thing. 9 Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib? 10 Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee? 11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor? 12 Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed, And gather `the grain' of thy threshing-floor? 13 The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; `But' are they the pinions and plumage of love? 14 For she leaveth her eggs on the earth, And warmeth them in the dust, 15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, Or that the wild beast may trample them. 16 She dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers: Though her labor be in vain, `she is' without fear; 17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, Neither hath he imparted to her understanding. 18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, She scorneth the horse and his rider. 19 Hast thou given the horse `his' might? Hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane? 20 Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible. 21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: He goeth out to meet the armed men. 22 He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed; Neither turneth he back from the sword. 23 The quiver rattleth against him, The flashing spear and the javelin. 24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet. 25 As oft as the trumpet `soundeth' he saith, Aha! And he smelleth the battle afar off, The thunder of the captains, and the shouting. 26 Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soareth, (And) stretcheth her wings toward the south? 27 Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up, And maketh her nest on high? 28 On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home, Upon the point of the cliff, and the stronghold. 29 From thence she spieth out the prey; Her eyes behold it afar off. 30 Her young ones also suck up blood: And where the slain are, there is she.
for a greater appreciation of what Christ does to uphold the universe.
From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.
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