In Secondary School I had a friend whose father was a watch maker. On occasion he would tell me about his dad, and the specifics of watchmaking. One day, when his dad was cleaning and repairing a watch, he explained to his son how the time pieces work. With just a magnifying glass and a pair of fine tweezers, he took the watch apart, cleaned it and reassembled the tiny parts back into a working watch. Out of all the timepiece’s intricate pieces, he pointed out one essential component; the mainspring.
The mainspring is the engine of the watch, powering all the gears. Without it, even the most expertly-designed watch will not function.
The following passage from the New Testament book of Hebrews reminds me of my friend’s dad the watchmaker.
“God has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son (Jesus) is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” Hebrews 1:2 & 3 (NIV)
The writer of Hebrews eloquently praises Jesus as the One through whom The Lord God created everything in Heaven and on Earth. Like the intricacies of a highly-crafted watch, every detail of our universe was created by Jesus. From the vastness of the solar system to the uniqueness of our finger prints, all things were made by Him.
More than just a creator, Jesus – like the mainspring in a watch – is the essential core required for creation to function and flourish. His presence continually sustains all things. As the passage declares, “by the power of His word” he keeps the amazing complexity of all He has created working together.
As we have the opportunity to share this powerful insight with the students in our care I trust they have a sense of belonging to this community, firstly and fore mostly as God has called them to be part of us. Acknowledging Him as our mainspring ensures we have the blessings and privilege of being able to work together in all our amazing complexities!
My prayer for our students and all members of this amazing community is that as we have the opportunity to experience the beauty of God’s creation today, that they (and you) will remember that in Jesus all things are held together.
As we recognise Jesus’ central role in creating and sustaining all things, may it result in a joyful heart and a response of praise as we acknowledge God’s ongoing provision for each and every one of us.