Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating 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.”
Thoughts from Pastor Stuart
Dive Deeper
Behind the Scenes
This verse is just so good and one I think you could build an entire sermon on. But for the sake of today’s devo time, I want to draw our attention to a few key parts.
First, this verse opens by telling us that the Word of God is living and active. It’s interesting to note here that the word used for “word” is logos which is also used to describe Jesus in John 1:1. It denotes the utterance and expression of God’s thoughts and will! And Jesus is the logos of God, the physical expression of God Himself. So neat!
So, when it is used here, the author is making the point that the word of God, both that which is expressed through the person of Jesus and through His holy scripture, is more than just written words. It’s more than tradition or the thoughts of men. It is powerful, active, and alive!
Secondly, I found it so interesting that the author says that it penetrates down to the soul, the spirit, the body (joints and marrow), the thoughts, and the heart of a person. Literally there is no part of you that is not affected by and changed by the word of God!
Make it Real
Have you ever viewed the Bible as antiquated or an old document? Has it ever felt dry or dead? I know there were seasons in my life that I really struggled to understand this verse because when I read my Bible, it neither felt alive nor active. It just felt like words on a page. I would do my daily reading and check that proverbial check box that said I did my “good Christian” duty for the day. And then I would move on with little to no impact.
It wasn’t until I started reading God’s word not to check a box, but to get to know THE Word of God (Jesus Himself) that it began to come to life. See, when I read it as a to-do list item, I was missing the point and missing the ingredient that activated the scriptures- Jesus Christ. He is the point! He is what makes the Bible active and alive because without Him and His truth behind every word on those pages, they would be no more than ancient writings. But what sets the Bible apart from every other ancient text we have is the fact that it is the expression of God Himself! It is logos!
And once we allow the Bible to come alive in our relationship and pursuit of Jesus Himself, then it has the power to change lives! It is amazing what the Holy Spirit does when we start to view the Bible as the actual expression of God! It changes us from the inside out, changing every part of us for the better. Through the blood of Christ, the power of God, and the working of the Holy Spirit, the words of Scripture literally get under our skin in all the right ways!
Crystal Garnett
ACF Digital Discipleship Team Lead
End in Prayer
Hey God!
I just want to say thank You today for making Your word available to us and making Yourself known to us. Thank You for not leaving us in the dark. Thank You that Your word is powerful and alive. Help me to not just read Your word as a to-do list kind of thing. Help me to really seek You when I read the Bible. Help me to know You more through Your word. God, I don’t want to miss knowing You through Your word. Help me to seek You above everything else.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen!