HOLD IT TOGETHER by Cynthia Ruchti

The truth of God's Word astounds me. I've held a Bible in my hands for many decades. Not, like, Guinness Book of World Records "holding." But I've cherished God's Word since earliest childhood memories. I can't count the number of times I've read it from cover to cover, then chronologically, and in how many versions or translations or paraphrases. I can trace the path of my faith journey by looking at what I've underlined and what's written in the margins.

A date will remind me of a defining moment and how the verse directly affected my attitude toward it or grew my faith in the midst of it.

A small scrawled musical note reminds me of a song based on that passage of Scripture. "I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart," Psalm 100:4.

At one time, I marked sobering, convicting verses with an orange colored pencil, salvation verses with red, joy verses with yellow, hope verses with blue…

And it still astounds me how often the exact verse I need is right there in front of me.

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Like spin-art without the art, it sometimes seems as if everything about life is spider-webbing out from center because the earth is spinning so wildly. "How's life?" is often met with one of these answers:

• "Crazy."
• "Crazy-busy."
• "Too busy."
• "Impossible."
• "Having a hard time holding it together."

I heard that last response today, from someone who sees her life spiraling out of control relationally, emotionally, in her job, in what she sees as a bleak future.

You may have found yourself in a similar artless art project. And the swirling mix may have come from too many good things--a full household of toddlers or teens, holiday preparations, writing deadlines, volunteer opportunities others might envy...

The astounding truth of God's Word reminds us we're not glue. We're not bungie cords. We're not furniture clamps. Jesus is. We can't invent relationship gravity. But Jesus did.

It's not up to us--which is a good thing, since it's not within our power--to hold everything together. That's His job.

Colossians 2:17 (CEB) tells us, "He existed before all things, and all things are held together in him."

Before employment existed, He did. Before contracts. Before family crises, He existed. Before the holidays dedicated to Him, He existed. And all things are held together not by the Mensa-wise and famously organized and super-spiritual, but by Him.

What a relief! 

When our schedules and health care concerns and budget worries and the dream-shattering episodes of life spin out of control, we hear the Voice that consoles, "I've got this."

YOUR TURN: When has that truth--that all things are held together in Jesus--most resonated with you?

Cynthia Ruchti is an author and speaker who tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels, novellas, devotions, nonfiction, and through speaking events for women and writers. She's held together by the only One strong enough, the One about whom she writes and speaks. You can learn more about her books--including her recent releases, the novel When the Morning Glory Blooms, the nonfiction Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People's Choices, and the devotional collection Mornings With Jesus 2014--at www.cynthiaruchti.com or www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage.