Hebrews 4:12-13 CSB
12 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 thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 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.
Every job can be accomplished more quickly if you use the right tools. Tools designed for that specific job. This was easy for me to see last week when my basement had three inches of rain water well up into it. I have a shop vac that can vacuum up water, a submersible pump that can push it up and out a hose and several dehumidifiers and fans that can take the moisture out of the air.
I then used these tools in succession. The pump is great for clearing out the majority of the mess by just pumping it out. But, it’s terrible about chasing down the puddles left over. So out comes the shop vac to suck up the rest of the standing water. But, the vac can’t really dry the room out. The dehumidifiers and fans move the air around and really finish the job by drying out the space. Each tool does a similar task of removing water in a rather different way.
The word of God can be like a tool that we need to know how to use and apply in the proper situations. But, even as I write that I know that it’s so much more than a tool. It’s a friend to go to for counsel, comfort and guidance.
If we know the word through reading, memorization, meditation, discussion and study then we’ve got a ready answer for whatever the world throws at us. Jesus, when facing down Satan, knew God’s revealed word and used it to great power against the temptations that were presented to him.
I encourage and challenge you to know how to use the Bible as a tool but also as a friend. It can be used in lots of ways and in lots of situations. Some passages apply to this and some to that, this book is great for stress and this one is wonderful for fear, this story has examples of faith while that one has warnings for sin.
The word of God works. It really does.
Isaiah 55:11 CSB
so my word that comes from my mouth will
not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper
in what I send it to do.”
Here’s an example of God’s word working in me.
Several days ago I was discouraged about the numerous tasks that I had still to
accomplish late in the day after already being busy for many hours straight. I
was grumbling to myself and wishing that others would take notice of my hard
work. At very least I planned to vent to several others about how I had been
left the lion’s share of the duties.
Then God brought to mind Luke 17.
7 “Which one of you having a servant tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 Instead, will he not tell him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, get ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; later you can eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did what was commanded? 10 In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are worthless servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”
Being treated like a servant should be my expectation. I should do the work in front of me without grumbling like it says in Philippians 2.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life.
Those passages calmed my heart. They brought me peace. They gave me hope like it talks about it Romans 5.
3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
That is the word of God doing its thing. Making me more like Christ a little bit every day. I need to know the word better, a lot better. Life isn’t going to get easier, I’d bet that life will get harder. But, I have faith that God will see me through.