For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. NAS
Hebrews 4:12 is as meaningful as any verse in scripture to me. As a new believer I memorized this it and it has effected everything that has followed in my walk with Christ. I was and am fascinated by the idea of a living word. In a dying world could there be anything more powerful?
It earned no other badge of honor other than the pointy hat on the kid with his nose to the wall, but when I became a christian in 1976, I had only read a few books in my life. My intellect was awakened at the same time my spirit was. So the bible was the first book I had read in earnest, hungry to absorb its content. When I read it, It was as though my heart stood to attention, saluted and said, “Amen.”
Today’s verses had their own peculiar punch though. The “amen” came a bit slower as my young and naive heart paused and thought, “Wait a second. What is the need for a sword?! “Lord, I have surrendered. I am holding nothing back. Could you please point that pointy thing in the other direction? Somebody could get hurt here.” It turns out this thought was as naive as Peter’s, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” Here is how the Message says it…..
God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what. MSG
I liked the sword analogy better than the scalpel. I was going to wield that sword of truth and enter into manly warfare. The idea of a scalpel seems to have a different implication. I discovered as I walked on with Christ that He was endeavoring to make me into His likeness and that in spite of my new nature in Christ, there were thoughts and intentions, doubts and defenses imbedded in my heart that only a skillful surgeon and His scalpel could access. I have come to believe that to call Jesus Lord is in essence saying, “Lord, you have permission to operate on my heart at any time you deem necessary.”
While His Word is a comfort and encouragement it also exposes my own agenda. I have been shocked and humbled at just how frequently As in always) there is something in it for me. His Word’s living nature exposes death even in its subtle (but no less deadly) disguises. I have discovered that I can be as unlike Christ in the motivation behind a hidden sexual sin as I can leading worship while secretly craving men’s approval.
One of the death-infected thoughts He has cut on over the years is that there is anything hidden or secret. That lie is exposed to the scalpel as the Spirit says, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
It is a transformational game changing revelation when it dawns on us that nothing we think or do is hidden from Him, not even our motives where disciples know the scalpel is often at work. This awareness can be a source of ongoing humility, knowing that we are powerless to hide from Him. No matter where we are or what we are doing we are laid bare; regardless, it is with Him whom we have to do.
Father as we walk on help us to realize however holy we perceive ourselves or not; however close or far from You we imagine ourselves, let the Spirit and the Word expose those silly and sinful ideas that exalt themselves above Your loving and all seeing eye. Whether its YOur rod and staff or Your scalpel, help our hearts come to rest in Your comprehensive love and intentions for us. Amen.