He Is Not One Part of Your Life - Colossians 1:17

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

-Colossians 1:17

It is easy to divide life into separate categories. We have work, relationships, health, finances, plans, and faith. Jesus may be important to us, but we can still treat Him as one part of life among many, turning to Him when a problem feels spiritual enough to require His help.

Paul gives us a much larger picture of Jesus. Colossians 1 describes Him as the image of the invisible God, the One through whom everything was created, and the head of the church. When Paul says that Jesus is “before all things,” he is not simply placing Him first on a list of priorities. Jesus existed before creation and stands above everything within it.

The verse then says that everything holds together in Him. Creation is not operating independently while Jesus watches from a distance. Its continued existence depends on Him. The same Jesus we approach in prayer is the One sustaining everything we can see and everything beyond our understanding.

This does not mean nothing in our lives will ever feel unstable. Relationships can change, plans can fail, and circumstances can become confusing. But none of those moments mean Jesus has lost His authority. Instead of asking Him only to support the life we have already arranged, we can bring every part of it under His leadership. Consider one area you have treated as separate from your faith and ask what it would look like to place Jesus at the center of it.

Prayer: Jesus, forgive me for treating You as only one part of my life. Help me recognize Your authority over everything and bring my plans, priorities, and decisions under Your leadership. Amen.