While today’s Bible reading is short, it’s powerful. Any time God’s word talks about itself I stop and listen. It’s the instruction book of life we all long to have. It’s our love story with God. It illuminates the foundation of what we believe. It’s God’s gift to us.
How many times do you read a familiar passage but it sounds different? There is a new message that jumps out this time that you didn’t hear before. That’s a great example of what the writer says here, “[F]or the word of God is alive and powerful.” God’s word is alive and speaks to us differently at different times. It certainly is powerful when you think of how it fits so beautifully together, building on itself, one passage supporting another.
The image of a sword here, “It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow” has always been a little hard for me to grasp. But God’s word has to be sharp to pierce into our hardened hearts and to be relevant for all time. We can certainly be immune to God’s message if we let the noise of the world crowd in around us. We need to let the truths of God’s Word slice through the chaos of our lives.
How does it make you feel to hear, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.” We may be able to hide from our friends and enemies. We may be able to disguise our hurts and habits so that others don’t know. But God sees all and knows all. We can’t cover up our faults, we can’t pretend we’re not sinners. God knows. We also know that God loves us more than we can imagine, despite all of that. He may not be pleased by our behavior, but he loves us.
Unconditional love like that is the greatest blessing. If you are a dog owner, you know how excited your pet is when you return home from work or a trip to the store. I imagine that God’s love for us is a little like that. He knows our hiddenmost thoughts, good and bad, yet he loves us. He is crazy about us. Take a moment to just let that sink in.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably had an accountability partner at one time or another. Maybe it was a prayer partner. Maybe it was a business partner. Somebody was keeping you accountable to a task, to hitting a goal, or to getting the job done. The writer tells us here that God is the one we are to be accountable to.
Think for a moment about how accountability works. You set an activity goal and commit to it by telling your accountability partner. Over the set time period you work toward that goal, always knowing you are going to be reporting to your accountability partner. Generally, there is communication occurring as the accountability partner reaches out with encouragement. We rely on those partners to give us the momentum we need.
So how is it different with God? The line of communication is always open. He is cheering us on. He is always watching our progress and our failures. But he loves us. He wants more than anything for us to succeed. We need to stay connected to him through his Word and in prayer. We need to come to him and ask him for help. He is our lifeline.
What area of your life would you like help with today from the best accountability partner you’ve ever had? God is listening.
Let’s pray. Father, thank you for cheering me on and directing my feet. I thank you for how you are working in my life. Forgive me for not turning to you first in every situation. I know that when I do, I am flooded with your peace. There may be many hurdles yet to jump through to get to my personal goals, but God I want you to run with me. May I rely on the truths of your word in all I say and do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Over the years I’ve heard verse 12 quoted in isolation and, for that matter quoted it in isolation myself. What stood out to me today is the connection between vv 12 and 13. The point of the image of the double-edged sword which cuts “between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow” is that this dissection reveals what is inside; it “exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
Verse 13 explains further that “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.” Rather, “Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes.” We all project a careful, well-kept image to the world. But the word of God exposes it all — all the thoughts and sinful desires we so carefully hide!
And still, despite all the filth within … What amazing love that God continues to seek passionately after us!
Thank you for sharing that very thought-provoking insight. Indeed, what amazing love God has for us!