he fills all things

Monday, January 19, 2009

Ephesians 4:1-16

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. (Ephesians 4:10)

This section of Ephesians came up the other evening as we discussed Tim Keller's chapter "How can a loving God send people to hell?" (The Reason for God, chapter 5). Verses 8-10 is part of what, biblically, is behind the line in the Apostles Creed, "He descended into hell" or "He descended to the dead."

While we don't fully understand it, Tom was so right when he said "Jesus went there so I don't have to." And he's been here, and knows everything I struggle with...

I'm intrigued today with the phrase "that he might fill all things." What do you make of that? He ascended far above all the heavens in order that he might fill all things. We have just read in v. 6 that there is "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Jesus, Paul says in Philippians 2, emptied himself when he "descended" to become incarnate of the Virgin Mary, to take the form of a servant and to humble himself even unto death. He emptied himself of his power and glory, and in whatever sense he was, with the Father, over all and through all and in all. Somehow in his ascension to the right hand of the Father, he has come to fill "all in all" (1:23).

I don't really know what that means today, except that Jesus is not only Lord in power, but he is filling and upholding all things from that place right now (Col. 17; Heb. 1:3). I can trust him, rely on him, cast the weight of my existence this day upon him who loves me and died for me. I trust his wisdom, his grace, his understanding of my weakness and need; I trust he gave me that breath just now, and that heartbeat.

Fill me, fill my life, my world today - messy, messed-up, beloved me.