ALL THINGS
Part ten of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series
Colossians 1:15-20
Colossians 1:15-17: “For by Him all things were created: things
in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers rulers
or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things in Him all things
hold together.”
As mankind goes, so goes all things—of
creation. All things mean that mankind and earth are metaphysically and inseparably
linked. Human sin infected all things in
creation, initiating a downward spiral. Have
you noticed creation’s restlessness: Heard
trees groaning in the cold night wind?
Faced the pain in the eyes of animals?
Smelled the ocean’s salty agitation of pounding surf? Related to the loneliness of whale cries?
Admit
that you yearn to answer a wolf’s howl.
Even
inanimate objects crave redemption: bikes
rust; tires flatten; clocks stop.
Something’s
terribly wrong!
In
the year 1517, an unknown monk, Dr. Martin Luther, protested against people’s
ability to buy forgiveness of sin by purchasing Catholic indulgences. He wrote, “Our Lord has written the promise
of resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” (His 95 protest theses launched the
Protestant Reformation).
Rescuing
all things from being buried under the Curse of sin will come after ALL humans’
bodily rise from the dead. Believers
have God’s Spirit living within, and line up with all the rest of creation in
reaching out to God for such deliverance.
As
mankind rises to redemption, so all things follow.
Believers
will be revealed at our resurrection from the dead. Our adoption into God’s family finalized,
redeemed bodies will rise imperishable and glorious. This picture shows what God intended for
people all along. The Greek “ta panta”
means all things in a broad exaggerated sense.
From the smallest particle, quark, to galaxies of planets and stars
billions of light years away, all
creation awaits redemption.
The
Master Artist-Creator had redemption in mind before creating all things. He couldn’t allow anything to permanently
trash His divine plan. After all, the
Creator showcased man before a wide-eyed, openmouthed universe. Sovereign God’s masterpiece exhibits redeemed
humans ruling New Earth.
“The
wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf
and the lion and the yearling [will feed] together; and a little child will
lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6).
Take
Home Nugget
All things have Jesus to thank for our coming
redemption. It boggles the human mind to
comprehend the totality of damaging effect that sin had on all things. The Curse of sin wasn’t limited to the ground
in Genesis 3:17. It went global. Now the entire cosmos awaits redemption!
The
One who is infinite is also intimate with all things created.
This devotion is adapted from Heaven.
Chapter 12, “Why Does All Creation Await Our Resurrection?” Subtitle1
“Broadening Our View of Redemption.” Subtitle 2 “All creation Wait in Eager Expectation
for Man to Be Redeemed.” Alcorn, Randy.
© 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers, Inc. Illinois.
J.D. Griffith
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