Lord's Day 9: God the Father

Heavenly Father, we come to You this morning knowing that every breath we take, every heartbeat, every moment of this day is held in Your faithful hands. Open our eyes to see Your sustaining power all around us, and give us hearts that rest in You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Q. What do you believe when you say, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth"?

That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, who still upholds and rules them by his eternal counsel and providence, is my God and Father because of Christ his Son. I trust God so much that I do not doubt he will provide whatever I need for body and soul, and will turn to my good whatever adversity he sends upon me in this sad world. God is able to do this because he is almighty God and desires to do this because he is a faithful Father.

Hebrews 1:1–3 & Colossians 1:16–17

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..."

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Have you ever held something very fragile — a glass bowl, a newborn baby — and felt the weight of being responsible for keeping it safe? Now imagine holding everything. The sun. The oceans. The atoms in your fingertips. Every breath of every living creature on earth. That's what God is doing right now. He isn't resting somewhere far away while the world runs on its own. He is actively, personally, constantly holding it all together.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus — the very Son of God — "upholds the universe by the word of his power." That's an astonishing sentence. The same voice that said Let there be light is still speaking. The world keeps existing because God keeps willing it to exist. Paul says it plainly in Colossians: "in him all things hold together." Remove God's upholding hand, and everything — everything — collapses into nothing.

This is not just a fact about physics. It's a word of comfort for your Tuesday morning. The same God who holds galaxies in place is also holding your life. The Catechism says He will "provide whatever I need for body and soul." Not might. Will. He is both almighty enough to do it — and faithful enough to follow through. Whatever this day holds for you, you are being upheld by a God who never tires, never forgets, and never lets go.

For the younger ones:

🌱 If God is holding everything together right now, what does that tell us about how powerful He is? Can you think of something that seems very big and strong — and remember that God holds even that in His hands?

For everyone:

🌿 The Catechism says God "still upholds and rules" all things by His providence. How does knowing that God is actively sustaining your life today change the way you feel about your worries or fears this week?

Dig deeper:

🌳 God is called both almighty and a faithful Father in Q&A 26. Why does it matter that He is both? What would be missing if He were only powerful but not fatherly — or only kind but not almighty?

Lead your family in prayer, or use this as a guide:

Father, thank You that You are not a distant God who wound the world up and walked away. You are here. You are upholding us right now — our bodies, our home, our family, this very breath. Forgive us for the times we live as though we are on our own. Teach us to trust Your providence today, especially in the things we cannot control. We cast our cares on You because You care for us. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who sits at Your right hand, Amen.

Week Memory Verse

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

— Colossians 1:17 (ESV)