“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” -Col. 1:15-17
All things were created through Christ, and for Christ, to show us Christ, that we might glorify Christ. It’s quite an exercise to stop and look around, and think about “all things” that God has created for the purpose of revealing his Son to us. God created bread and the concept and feeling of hunger so that he could say, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) We as humans can resonate with this analogy. We know what it’s like to feel physically hungry. Here, Christ is referring to a deeper hunger all humans possess; a spiritual hunger that only Christ can fill. Christ satisfies our spiritual hunger like a warm meal satisfies our empty stomachs.
God created light and darkness so we could better grasp, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5) We know what it looks like for a lamp to be turned on in a dark room, suddenly the room isn’t dark, the light illumines and dispels the darkness around it. It is impossible for darkness and light to co-exist. Christ has entered this world bringing life to dead things just as light enters a dark room.
There are thousands and thousands of these pictures, all revealing Christ; marriage and the role of husbands and wives (Eph. 5:25), a vine that bears fruit, (John 15:4), a shepherd and sheep (John 10:11), our nakedness and clothes (Gen. 3:21), the cornerstone of a building (1 Peter 2:6), snakes (Numbers 21:9), a cleft in a rock (Ex. 33:22), adoption (Gal. 4:5). God even uses the evil things in the world to serve as pictures of his great love towards us; He is the redeemer of the prostitute/sinner (Hosea 3:1), He has come to set free the slave (Gal. 5:1).
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Ps. 19:1)
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November 12, 2010 at 4:16 am
Jesse Thompson
God made everything! Oh, what a good truth that is, so simple little children understand it! He made us, and though we were once separated from him by sin, he made the way to atonement through his Son, Jesus. Yes, it is wonderful to reflect on God’s handywork and how it finds its fulfillment in the LORD who made it, Jesus Christ. As the children’s song goes, “The mountains are his, the rivers are his, the stars are his handiwork too! My God is so big! So strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do!” And just think, he does all this for his name’s sake AND “for you, and for you, and you and you and you….” (meaning all of us, including you, Emily, and me and all those who believe). Thank you God, for your power and your love, power to create us and save us and love that knows no limit. Amen. Thanks for the post, Emily, and I pray all is well with your soul tonight. Your brother in Christ, Jesse.