Eph. 1:10

10 The purpose, To bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Chreist.

What a vision! The magnet that draws all iron filings to itself is Jesus. What was separated is brought into a unity around our Risen Head. As I think of this, it is a vision I wish to rekindle in my own heart.

All under Christ. All my bits and pieces that I controlled by my own self effort are now drawn to Jesus Christ. All arrows point to one place, to Jesus. If there is a cluster of desires in me that look to me for fulfillment, I will inevitably be weakened in my relationship with my Father in heaven. In the Kingdom that Jesus is establishing, all parts are drawn to him, the Head. Any part of the body that functions contrary to the will of the head weakens the entire body and will bring about muddle and finally death.

This plan makes obsolete and meaningless all other human attempts to bring about unity – which is an attempt to get all people within a group to face the same way and proceed to a common goal together. This is the dream of every culture. Always alluring, never fully attained.

That drive is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God that Jesus established. It is made possible by the atoning work of Jesus Christ. This unity is amazing – all believers are drawn more and more into the person of Jesus. It is only there, where the blood of Jesus is spilled, that true unity, eternal unity, is possible.

All things in heaven and earth. I see a startling revelation here. All things in heaven and on earth find unity in Christ Jesus. When I think of unity it is either unity that brings all my personal parts into conformity to Jesus Christ or a unity among mankind that brings peace and harmony. I think I am right about those two things. But Paul introduces a new idea here - Jesus unifies all things in heaven and earth. He unifies heaven. That we see in the Book of Revelation. And in his Kingdom he unifies things on the earth. Now he broadens that vision of unity to include both earth and heaven in one bundle. Jesus binds both together. He taught us to pray that this purpose be realized. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Quite often in my life it seems as though the veil that separates heaven from earth dissolves and the two are one. Jesus, in heaven, is just as really in my study, at my computer as he is in heaven's throne. He binds heaven and earth, even now, if only we could see!

Praise Him forever. Amen.