OUR MAKER, DEFENDER, REDEEMER, AND FRIEND.

He, in whom all things consist, is more than sufficient.

Dear pilgrim, as important and valuable as he or she may be in your life, your spouse, your parent, your child, your friend, your employer, your professional adviser, or business partner cannot possibly be all-in-all to you. The needs that a parent or child would meet, an employer or acquaintance might not be able to meet it and vice versa.

That is why some say that you need a wide network of family, friends, and contacts so that whatever your instant situation might be, you would always have someone who could be of help. That may be sound wisdom for living. But there’s a better way.

If the Lord God Almighty is the only one in your network, He will give you much more than the most diverse of human networks can give and much more. When you maintain fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, He will be to you the all-in-all.

In Ephesians 4:6, Paul described Him as the one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. And of our Lord Jesus Christ, Colossians 1 from verse 16 says: For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for himHe is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” And the writer of the hymn, O Worship the King described Him as “our Maker, Defender, Redeemer,  and Friend.” 

If you let Him, He can be your All-in-All:

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!

You see, the Holy Spirit is not saying “don’t cultivate the acquaintance and friendship of valuable human contacts”, He is saying to you “prioritize above all else your fellowship and union with God, the Almighty through our Lord Jesus Christ.” For then, you will find that He, in whom all things consist, who is the Father of all, who is over all, who is in all, and living through all will be your All-in-All; dependable and trustworthy not only as your Maker, but also as your Maker and Defender; not only as your Maker and Defender, but also as your Maker, Defender, and Redeemer; and not only as your Maker, Defender, and Redeemer, but also as your Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

Let us pray.

Dear Lord, as we resolve to look to You as our All-in-All, please be our God, our help, our hope, our guide, our guard and our eternal home. In Jesus name, Amen.

Pilgrim’s Joy Devotional is a collection of meditations inspired by Christian hymns. This episode was written and presented by Olufemi Oguntokun. Do you want to join the GospelBellsRadio community? Please send us a WhatsApp message or an email. Do you have a prayer request? Send it here anonymously. Do you have a testimony to share? Send us a WhatsApp Voice Note here or simply request to be our guest (live or by telephone) on ThankfulThursday@7AM.