The Jesus Nut
In many helicopters, there is a rotor-retaining nut that holds the main rotor to the mast. If that nut comes loose during flight, the rotors would detach from the mast and the aircraft would plunge quickly to the earth. This nut is affectionately called “the Jesus nut.”
American soldiers may have coined the term during the Vietnam War. It was the first war
where large numbers of soldiers were transported by helicopters to and from battle zones. Others suggest Igor Sikorsky, a pioneer of rotor wing aircraft, and a deeply religious man, coined the term.
Regardless of the source, if the nut (more accurately a pin) were to fail in flight, the fate of the helicopter crew would be sealed. The crew therefore, must have faith in the Jesus nut to do its intended job without failing. Real examples of Jesus nut failures are rare, because the pin is checked before every flight.
In the systems-engineering world, the phrase “Jesus nut” has come to mean any single component of a system whose failure would cause catastrophic failure of the entire system.
In life, everyone has a “Jesus nut” – something or someone, if suddenly taken away, would cause our life to crash and burn. What holds your life together?
What or who is your Jesus nut?
In Colossians 1:15-17, the Apostle Paul describes the “Jesus nut” for the universe. Speaking of Jesus Christ he says:
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (NIV)
The bottom line is Jesus Christ holds all things together. Without Him, the universe would be unsustainable. Without Him, the world would not know love, compassion, forgiveness or hope. Without Him, there would be no chance for peace in the present, or any hope for the future. He is what defines creation, eternity, peace and love.
Without Jesus, the entire system would crash. According to this passage, He is not only the creator of the universe; He is also the One who sustains it. On a personal level, the writer of Hebrews says Jesus Christ is “the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)
While you and I may assent to this as a theological truth, do we know it as a personal reality? Do we look to Him as the One who sustains us, and more importantly do we live in total dependence on Him? Is Jesus the lynchpin, the One around whom and for whom we define our very existence? Is He the One who you rely on to keep your life together instead of spinning out of control and crashing?
If not, I urge you to turn to Him today, and make Him the center and foundation of your life – your “Jesus nut.” More than anything else, He desires to have such a relationship with you. He is the only One who will never fail you. He has never failed and will never fail.
