Plate Spinning

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

                                                                        Colossians 1:17

Spinning plates.  Sometimes I read a scripture and a picture develops in my very earthly mind of what those words could represent.  Today’s verse reminds me of spinning plates.  In case you have no clue what I am talking about, I will briefly explain it.

According to Wikipedia, “Plate spinning is a circus manipulation art where a person spins plates, bowls and other flat objects on poles, without them falling off.”  Apparently there is a man named David Spathaky who holds the record for spinning up to 108 plates simultaneously.  Wow! 

Spinning plates seems really hard to me.  I have definitely taken my hand to this kind of thing.  Spinning, or trying to spin plates (not all plates are meant for me to spin), labeled as “my responsibilities”.  For example, maintenance of my home, raising my kids, taking care of my husband, balancing check books, running errands, ministry needs, needs of friends, needs of family, needs of the community, needs of the country, needs of the world!  I have boundary issues.  Yes spinning plates can be hard.  Don’t even get me started on juggling. 

“In him all things hold together.” 

Jesus, spinning plates, that’s what I see.  Sorry.

This post is going to represent three parts.  First the theology part, then the science part, and finally the practical part.  The theology part will be short as will the science section so wade with me through those deep waters to practical island.  It will be worth it.  Practical is always worth it.

Theology part - Once again, we need to take this verse in context.  We learned in our last post that Paul was addressing some kind of other superior wisdom that the false teachers were trying to sell the Colossian church that was apart from Christ.  He warned them not to buy into what they were selling since Jesus is wisdom personified.  They already have all the wisdom they could want or need in Him since He was the creator of the world.  Kind of like the book that I just bought and I was so excited about until I discovered I already had it.  Hmmmm. 

Paul was pointing out to them since Jesus created “all things” in the first place; he is certainly able to hold the “all things” together as well.  No external human wisdom was necessary.  The author of creation was the one who was in charge. 

“In him all things hold together.”

Science part – Are you aware of something called the “Anthropic Principle”?  Why not?  Just kidding.  This fancy name is used to describe the numerous highly improbable environmental conditions that exist in the universe that make life possible.  Things like, the right gravitational force, speed of light, neutron mass, the force that binds subatomic particles (such as neutrons and protons) together within the nuclei of atoms….. these are just a few.  I sound smart but have no clue what any of this means.  What I do understand is this.  If any of these constants is off by even one part in a million, or in some cases, by one part in a million million...there would be no galaxy, stars, planets or people.  This is at the atomic level folks.  What is holding all of this together?  Verse 17. 

“In him all things hold together.”

Practical part – Finally the practical part!  The practical part is going to answer the question that I have no doubt is searing a hole in your subconscious, “If Jesus is holding everything together, than why does it feel as if everything is falling apart?”  Such a good question and one I have been mulling over for several weeks.  Remember wrecked?  I have some thoughts. Now it is your turn to mull through them and see if they make sense to you.

If Jesus is holding everything together, than why does it feel as if everything is falling apart? 

Perhaps we aren’t trusting in His sustaining power.  Isn’t that what our verse is saying today.  His sustaining power is what holds us together.  He hasn’t abandoned or forgotten us but He is actually sustaining us through whatever doesn’t feel like it is holding together.  Let’s look at a couple of verses to prove my point.  

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”                       Isaiah 46:4

Jesus is sustaining you through what ever you are going through.       Do you want proof?  No worries.  I have that too.

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.”

                                                           Psalm 3:5

If you woke up today, and I assumed you have or you wouldn’t be reading this, it is because of Jesus’ sustaining power in your life. When you can’t see what He is doing, you can trust that if you are awake, He is at work on your behalf.  He will sustain you through it.  You can believe it.  Yet there is one caveat. 

“Restore to me the joy of my salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.”                                       Psalm 51:12

The catch is we need to be willing to let go and trust in Him.  A willing spirit to trust God and His infinite wisdom is what gives us the strength we need as we travel through the maze of hardship and strife of life.  Let’s face it.  In the culture we live in, easy is exalted.  Nothing should be hard and unfixable.  We want the easy fix, don’t we?  We have had this truth burrowed into our brains through the culture and the media that bullhorns it across every single brand of communication there is.  Since we are communication supercharged in this generation, we can’t avoid it.  It’s not truth.  Hear me loud and clear, it is not truth.  Life is hard and sometimes things happen that aren’t humanly fixable. Endings aren't always "happily ever after". That is why we need the sustaining power of a savior.  Thankfully, it is available for whoever wants Him.

“In him all things hold together.”

Jesus, champion plate spinner.  He is sustaining every single proton, neutron, and atom on this planet.  If He can do that, I am sure He is handling whatever in our lives seems like it is falling apart.  Since Jesus is the creator, I am comforted that we are in very capable hands.  Respectfully, while David Spathaky might be in the Guinness World Record book for spinning 108 plates simultaneously, he ain’t got nothing on Jesus.  Ahem.

        "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall."        
                                                                Psalm 55:22