And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
-- Colossians 1:17
One of my favorite albums (remember those?) of all time is Rich Mullins' A Liturgy, A Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band. Mullins was truly a poet-philosopher.
I remember standing mesmerized as the shoeless minstrel banged on a hammer dulcimer while painting vivid pictures on the canvas of my soul. His lyrics were alive and full of passion, pain and hope.
Among the phrases that were deeply planted in my brain, one stands out from his song Hold Me Jesus:
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been king of my glory.
Won't you be my Prince of Peace?
The Apostle Paul writes to the Colossian believers about the preeminence and excellency of Christ. He affirms that Jesus is above all, creator of all, and intimately involved in all. I am reminded of the first few verses of both Genesis and John's gospel.
My faith usually finds no struggle in a Jesus of creation; a Jesus of majesty and glory. I believe in an all-powerful God who has knit the fabric of all that is with care and creativity. His love paints with masterfully artistic strokes... (have you ever stopped to wonder why there are 20,000 species of butterflies in the world?). And this creative God - to quote the children's song - Has got the whole world in his hands.
However I do struggle at times - not with his power or majesty or God-ness. My struggle comes from a darker place - from the soul of a stumbler. I sometimes ask if this incredible God is intimate enough to hold ME together.
Paul writes that Jesus holds all things together. In tact. Whole. And within this all, is me (and you). Jesus is (and wants to be) in intimate relationship with us.
Mullins makes this personal in the title of his song-prayer: Hold Me Jesus.
And he does.
God, you hold the planets and stars in their pre-defined tracks. You hold atoms together in their minute particle orbits. Jesus, I need you to hold me together. Hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf...
For now...
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