Penetrating

October 21

Jeremiah 37-38

Psalm 118:15-21

Proverbs 25:16-17

Hebrews 4:1-13

Penetrating

“For the Word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 HCSB

The Word of God is different from any other book that has ever been written. There are some amazing books out there. There are books that have been around for centuries, like the Bible, but none of them have the power the Bible has. Some books move us emotionally, some make us angry, some make us cry, some motivate us to change an area of our lives, and some teach us new things. There are millions of books in print today and millions more that line library shelves throughout the world. There are books that appeal to literary scholars, books written for teenage girls, and self-help books for every problem we could possibly face. There are children’s books, romance novels, murder mysteries, classics, biographies, and sci-fi novels. Books can give us an escape from our problems or a nice distraction on a rainy day. There are a lot of gifted authors who can spark our imagination and fuel our deepest dreams with their stories. Books are powerful, but no book has the power the Bible has. This verse explains why.

The Bible is a living document. It is just as applicable to our lives today as it was when it was written hundreds of years ago. When we read the Bible, God speaks to us through its words. He can lead us to just the right scripture we need at the exact time we need it. Whether it is in our daily quiet time, through a song on the radio, in a sermon or in a Bible study, He communicates to us through the power of His Holy Spirit using His Word. Whatever our situation He can use a passage in scripture to speak to us giving us wisdom, insight, and guidance. When we are lonely or hurting, He uses it to assure us of His constant presence. When we are grieving, He uses it to give us comfort and hope. When we are confused and needing direction, He uses it to lead us and provide instruction. He uses His Word to train us and teach us in the way that we should go. No matter what we are going through, the Bible offers us help. It is effective in every situation we will ever find ourselves. It is also sharper than any two-edged sword penetrating to the deepest part of our hearts. It has the power to reveal our sin to us, to convict us of our sinful actions and judge even our motives and intentions. It can correct, chasten, and discipline us. God’s Word is His instruction manual to help us navigate this life and it comes with internal tech support to assist us. The only catch is that we must utilize it. It does us no good sitting on our nightstand, in a drawer or on a bookshelf. If we don’t open it, God can’t use it to speak to us. If we don’t read it, we are missing what He wants to tell us. It isn’t meant to just be pulled out when we are in a crisis, it is intended for daily use.