“Hope sustained us during that difficult time.”
“I don’t know if I can sustain this standard of living.”
“The roof, unable to sustain the weight of all the snow, collapsed.”
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). That word translated as sustaining is a present participle (Ooo) which means that it’s an ongoing thing. Christ is continually holding it all together. He was on Day 1. He was on Day 1,098,894, and He is still holding it together today. It’s more than that though. He’s carrying it along. Christ is carrying creation on toward its goal. It wasn’t just set in motion. He’s moving it along purposefully. In case there’s any doubt, look at Colossians 1:17. Speaking of Jesus, Paul states, “He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.” Christ was the One who created, but His hands are still fixed on creation as He sustains it. Even Greek philosopher Aristotle believed this concept that everything is “out of God” and that He holds it together. Christ holds everything together such that we have “a cosmos instead of a chaos” (Lightfoot). The Son is the “divine glue” and “spiritual gravity” that holds creation together. Christ is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is the “rhyme and reason.” Everyone and everything is entirely dependent upon Christ whether they are atheistic or inanimate (Garland). Every day, every minute, every nanosecond, Christ keeps things in order in the universe and keeps them going toward His ultimate purpose. This includes you. You have a built-in purpose. Seek the Sustainer to discover it.
This week you’ll read…
2 Chronicles 1-11: “‘If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on My people, and My people, who bear My name, humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land’” (2 Chronicles 7 in The Christian Standard Bible).
Psalms 106-108: “Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever” (Psalms 106 in The Christian Standard Bible).
Malachi 1-4: “‘For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,’ says the Lord of Armies, ‘not leaving them root or branches. But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall. You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,’ says the Lord of Armies’” (Malachi 4 in The Christian Standard Bible).
Titus 1-3: “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3 in The Christian Standard Bible).
Philemon 1: “I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, because I hear of your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus” (Philemon 1 in The Christian Standard Bible).
- August 1 (Thurs):
- August 2 (Fri):
- August 3 (Sat):
- August 4 (Sun):
- August 5 (Mon):
- August 6 (Tues):
- August 7 (Wed):
CSB are daily readings linked to The Christian Standard Bible on BibleGateway.com.
MSG are daily readings linked to The Message Bible on BibleGateway.com.
NLT are daily readings linked to The New Living Translation on BibleGateway.com.
Thoughts on Life and Jesus 