LightGrams
January 19, 2023
Volume 27, Number 3

Cooper Wright of Cumberland Center, Maine is only 13 years old. But when it comes to putting the world back together, he’s your guy.

The “world” of which we speak is the Lego World Map, a set consisting of 11,695 pieces. Cooper was determined to beat the Guinness World Record for assembling the set, which was 12 hours. Along the way the table on which he was working collapsed, and bowls full of Lego pieces fell to the floor. Undeterred, he kept working and completed the set in 9 hours, 14 minutes, and 49 seconds.

Each of my five grandsons have been into constructing Lego sets. I marvel at their abilities to closely follow instructions and complete projects. I wouldn’t think of competing against them to see who can finish quickest. This is a toy that aims to build more than models; it builds confidence and skills.

With all due respect to Cooper Wright, I know of One who is a superior builder. He constructed not just a map of the world, but the world itself (and all of the universe as well). You know, of course, I’m referring to Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God didn’t just put the pieces together – He made the pieces that were assembled into what we now observe.

I envision Cooper bending over the set he was constructing, carefully placing each piece. That’s somewhat the picture of the Creator in Isaiah 40:15: “Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.” Creation took six days, according to Genesis 1, but there were more than 11,695 parts to put in place!

Some may not know that Jesus is one of the Godhead Who was active in creation. John 1:3 says of Him, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” When He came to the earth He created, one would assume He would receive a standing ovation or heartfelt praise. But John 1:10,11 shows what really happened: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” How ungrateful is that?!

Let’s not just think about people of the distant past, though; let’s think about ourselves. How do we respond to the One who can piece the world together? Paul affirmed to the Athenian philosophers that “in [God] we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Do we take for granted that we are able to move, or that we have life? We enjoy life because of God; we must not forget Him.

Colossians 1:16,17 echoes this truth: “… All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” The ESV translates the last part of that passage as “in Him all things hold together”. Why is the universe stable? Why doesn’t earth move closer to the sun (burning up everything on its surface) or further from the sun (freezing everything)? It’s because of the One who pieced this world together, and continues to maintain order.

When our lives seem to be coming apart, doesn’t it make sense to approach the One who knows how to put things together? We have the word of God, 2 Timothy 3:17 teaches, “that the man of God may be complete”. Piece by piece, God can help us assemble the best version of ourselves.

Come to the light God offers!  Study His word, the Bible.  Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.

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Copyright, 2023, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).

“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.

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