Somehow, I ended up in Hebrews 4 this week in my personal reading. I love this chapter. It begins with a warning to not miss the “rest” God has for us – as Israel missed the rest God had for her through disobedience. “Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.”
My favorite part of Chapter 4 immediately follows that warning. “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.” [4:12 HCSB]
Ever been stabbed by the Word of God? Boy, I have. That double-edged sword has found a work in me on many occasions. I’ll be going along in life, unaware of (or ignoring) the fact that parts of my life are not fully surrendered to my Lord, and then the Word of God will leap off the pages and stab me in that very place.
It will penetrate thoughts and attitudes to reveal the ones that are rightfully reflecting the image of Jesus, and the ones that are not, effectively dividing my spirit in Christ from my mind, will and emotions still operating in my flesh.
Yet, the one thing that makes that double-edged sword different is that it not only divides, judges and separates, it also heals. The cut is sharp and straight and slices away those parts that are not fully surrendered to God, those parts where my attitudes still sit on the throne of my heart. Then healing floods in and wholeness is restored.
I think sometimes those parts where God has had to cut the deepest are now places where He is strongest in me. Those wounds that were the rawest and hurting are now the places of greatest joys and comfort.
This walk of faith will require costly changes in our minds, our attitudes, and our behaviors. But as we pay the price of surrender here, we will reap the rewards in eternity.