Held Together

The barn at camp should have fallen down a long time ago. With every windy storm that blows through, with every heavy rain that falls, we expect to find the barn heaped in a crumpled mess. But there she stands, a little worse for wear, but standing.

I don’t know about you, but I can relate to this old barn. When I was in the thick of life in hopeless places, I remember laying in bed at the end of long days feeling physically sick, mentally worn, emotionally spent. All I could do was lay there and whisper into the dark over and over, Jesus hold me together. Jesus hold me together. Jesus, please, hold me together. 

I should have crumbled under the heavy rains and been taken down by the relentless wind, but there I was, still “standing” in the face of hopeless things. Bent out of shape for sure, broken down in unseen places certainly, but still standing. Standing because of the One hearing my prayer: In Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).

It was never about me being strong, because I wasn’t. It was never about withstanding anything, because I couldn’t. It was always about being held together by the One who stands before all things. And He does the same for you.

Who knows how much longer this barn will be standing, but I’m thankful for the story it is sharing of being held together and the hope it symbolizes of God’s light always shining through our broken places.