“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
God’s word – it is living. It alive. How can a “word” be alive; after all, aren’t these just letters on a page?
But God’s word is more than simply letters on a page.
It has helped me a little to think of God’s word as a living organism.
What is a living organism? In biology, we ask the question: what makes an organism alive? Here are some answers to the question of what makes an organism living, in a strict biological sense: it moves, breathes, grows, has substance.
In the above definition, even bacteria and plants are living. But there is more.
We can also include: the ability to think, feel, discover, communicate, reason, love.
There is a difference, then. Is God’s word just “living”, or is it “alive”?
My boys love to watch movies with sword fighting. Have you ever seen a sword fight in a movie? Not too long ago, men fought with sharp swords in warfare and battle, with deadly results.
We are told that God’s word is sharper than any “double-edged sword”. That’s pretty sharp. It cuts both ways, to the person wielding the word, and the person hearing it.
His word “pierces” the division of the soul and spirit. Can anyone see the soul? Can anyone see the spirit? Yet God’s word can reach the internal parts of a man that others cannot see. His word can reach the deep parts of a person that no one else can reach.
His word reaches between joints and marrow. We don’t walk around thinking about our bone marrow, as a matter of course. We know that this part can become diseased, requiring a transplant. But otherwise, we don’t give too much thought to our bone marrow. Yet this is where the red blood cells are made, where our strong bones receive nutrients, like a “central supply line”.
God’s word gets into our supply line. It contains nutrients for our soul.
Moreover, his word “discerns” our thoughts and intentions. No one else can know me that well. I can fool a thousand people, but not God. He knows the truth. That is a comfort– and a conviction.
God’s word is something of a miracle. Why don’t I spend more time on it? Why do other things cloud it’s importance, its priority in my life?
Nothing can get to me more than this. No other books. No music. No TV shows. No movies. No talks with friends. Nothing else. No other book has this kind of power.
All other books are inspired by man.
But God’s word comes straight from Himself.
It is unique.
Think of it as something alive when you read it; take it in, memorize it, meditate upon it. Let it do its work in some mysterious way in your heart and soul that you cannot fathom.