I love math! Do you? Something about the symbols fascinated me as a kid. I loved to add, subtract and multiply in my head. Remember the greater than and lesser than signs: > and < ? What is the greatest number of all? Who is the greatest person of all? In our staff meeting we sometimes talk about who is greater: the Texans or the Cowboys. The discussion is animated by lots of loyalties. I love my home town team!
In the letter to the Hebrews, the unidentified author (theories abound about authorship), makes the case that Jesus is greater than. Over the early chapters he offers the equation: Jesus > . In one of the highest, holiest portraits of Jesus he points out that after God spoke through the prophets, he left the final word to his Son. Who is Jesus? Heir of all things, Maker of the universe, Radiance of God’s glory, exact Representation of his being, Sustainer, Purifier from sins and reigning Regent of heaven at the right hand of majesty. So who can match that? Angels? Gabriel, Michael, want to take a shot? Lucifer did, but it didn’t end well.
In heaven they do not debate who the greatest is. I wonder, who is the greatest in our lives? Jesus is the greatest. Does he have first place in our hearts and lives today? Is he first in our thoughts, in our allocation of time and resources? If anyone else is ahead of Jesus in our lives, our math is definitely mixed up!
