He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Colossians 1:17
Did you ever feel like the world was falling apart? Certainly in the year 2020, many felt that way. Today’s verse says that in God all things hold together. When your “world” is based on Him, it lasts for eternity. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus compared living a life built on His teachings as a house built on a rock, withstanding the storms. He compared a life not built on his teachings to a house built on the sand, crumbling when troubles came.
The prophet Habakkuk described a world falling apart in God’s wrath, but when he looked at God Himself, he rejoiced. “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord: I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength: he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places” (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
Whether in good times or bad, commit your world to Jesus this year. Stand on His promises. Pray to Him for your needs to be met. Pray for the nation, its officials, and people to turn to God and put their trust in Him alone. Then you can say with the psalmist, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
Today’s Verse: Colossians 1:17
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Psalm 34:8-22
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
