Colossians 1: 15 – 17 (NLT)
“15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.”
Isn’t that absolutely amazing!!!! That is Jesus!
Sometimes I have a picture of Jesus in my head that looks a little like the artists’ paintings of Jesus. I think about his life on earth as a human. I know he is God, part of the Trinity, but he is just so … human. When I read verses like these, I realize my ideas are way off-kilter. Who is Jesus?
Jesus existed before anything was created – before the planets, the galaxies, time and space. In fact, Jesus created all that. “Through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.” (v. 16) Jesus is the master scientist, the master artist, the master philosopher, the master everything. He created this whole universe! Just think about all the things that have been discovered in the past 20 years. Think about all the things we are still working on trying to figure out. Jesus created all that and knows everything.
Jesus made everything both seen and unseen. He created angelic beings – “authorities in the unseen world”. “Everything was created through him and for him” AND “he holds all creation together”. Stop for a moment and think about that. Everything we know was created by Jesus and he makes sure it functions every second. John’s Gospel says the same thing – “God created everything through him and nothing was created except through him.” (John 1: 3)
“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.” (v. 15) Jesus is the person we can see and relate to. He took on a human body so we can get a glimpse – just a glimpse – of who God really is. God is so beyond us, we can’t comprehend at all who or what he is. But, Jesus made it possible for us to have a relationship with that mighty God. Actually, when I read these verses in Colossians, I wonder how we could possibly have a relationship with a God like that. A relationship with the Jesus described in these verses? Would this amazing Creator want a relationship with little me? Yet, he does!
So let’s reread our verses for today. Concentrate on how amazing Jesus is.
“15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.”
Our song for today is God of Wonders by Chris Tomlin.