The Ultimate Cosmic Glue

Holding it Together

Since the 1930’s physicists have known that the atoms that make up everything around us are held together by electromagnetic force, which causes negatively and positively-charged particles to attract one another. Opposites attract--like charges repel each other.

This has created a puzzle for physicists. Atoms are composed of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively-charged electrons. The nucleus receives its positive charge from protons, but often contains more than one proton – Uranium has 92 protons -- which should repel each other, causing the atom to fly apart. There is another force holding the nucleus together. Physicists labeled this the Nuclear Strong Force. Without this Strong Force, the nucleus, and thus the atom, would spontaneously disassemble. That’s called Nuclear Fission (aka Atomic Bomb).

The strong force acts on both neutrons and protons, so it isn’t a force affiliated with the electric charge. The strong force always pulls particles together, like gravity pulls us to the Earth. However, it is much stronger than gravity; when two protons are within one femtometer(fm) (the size of a nucleus – 0.00000000000004 inches) of each other, this Strong Force is 100 times stronger than their natural electromagnetic repulsion.

Here’s where it gets really interesting. Physicists have discovered smaller particles called quarks that make up each proton and neutron. Three (3) quarks make up each proton and neutron (where have you seen that number before?). It is, in fact, this combination of 3 quarks that is responsible for the Strong Force that holds everything together. Armies of physicists smashing atoms together with tremendous energies have verified all of this. 

Amazingly, the Apostle Paul knew all about this back in the first century. Admittedly, he didn’t know about atoms and quarks, but he clearly understood the Strong Force.

The Son is . . . sustaining all things by his powerful word. — Hebrews 1:3

He is before all things, and in him all things consist. — Colossians 1:17

The Greek word that is interpreted as "consist" (συνιστάνω ~ sunistanō) means to literally be held together.

Christ as the maker of all things. And here we see that he is holding it all together.

This image is powerful. In Christ all things were made, and through Christ all things are sustained and held together. He did not create all things and then leave them be – He is actively holding it together.

Think of the implications…

When the soldiers were scourging him, beating him and pulling out his beard, He was holding their very lives together. When they drove nails into his hands and feet, He was the one giving them breath.

How can we measure the depth of God’s love and mercy? That realization does it better than any.

No matter what we’ve done, how far we’ve fallen, or how badly we’ve offended Him – our very breath is proof of His love for us.

God is in control

This serves as a powerful reminder that God is in control.

In the world around us today it’s easy to feel like life seems to be going out of control. We have this powerful assurance that God is holding everything together.

Christ is “sustaining all things by his powerful Word.”