“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.” [Hebrews 4:12 HCSB]
That familiar verse comes at the end of a passage on unbelief. The writer of Hebrews spoke of the rest (in faith) promised by God that was left unappropriated by the Hebrew children because of their disobedience. That rest is available now in Christ Jesus and when we hear God’s invitation, we are not to harden our hearts through a pattern of disobedience as the Hebrew children did.
That verse, along with verse 13 which we will look at tomorrow, contains a solemn warning that unbelief never goes undetected. The Word of God (the Bible) is living and discerning. That means the Word of God has the power to read us and discern and judge the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
I know that often as I read through my Bible, both Old and New Testaments, I feel it cut into my soul. I see through its power the things that are in my heart, and how different they often are from my outward actions. The Word sees my duplicity, the lies I have told myself, the arrogance and rebellion that often resides inside.
The Word knows me. Along with the convicting power of the Spirit of God, it moves me towards repentance and revival.
So I guess the question we need to ask today is “What am I doing with the Word of God?”
Am I allowing it to read me? (That means I have to be reading it too!) Am I allowing it, and the Holy Spirit to reveal my patterns of disobedience?
I pray I am!
