Jessica Albritton, Family Connections Minister, LHBC
Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
One of my favorite memories of my grandmother was watching the Antiques Roadshow on PBS with her. The Antiques Roadshow is a television program where locals come in with old family items not knowing their worth to be appraised by experts. Some come in with knick knacks that amount to little to nothing but there are many that come in with an item that turns out to be a priceless piece of history that proves to be worth much more than expected. Inevitably the appraiser will ask where they found the piece. Something that always surprised me was the amount of individuals that stated they just found the item shoved in a closet or attic. Heirlooms passed down from generation to generation, worth millions of dollars, and no one knew their true worth.
Hebrews 4:12 states the Word of God is living and active. I’ll be honest, for a good chunk of my life I took the Bible for granted, much like those oblivious individuals on the antiques roadshow. Then one day I realized the value of the precious book. I mean, think about it. The creator and sustainer, the God of all, the King of Kings and Lord of lords, SPOKE. And we have those words in our possession. I have about 6 Bibles scattered around my house, we have scripture readily available at our fingertips thanks to smartphones. Scripture is so assessable that we often take it for granted. But its availability does not take away from its value.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You Christians have in your keeping a document with enough dynamite to explode civilization, to turn society upside-down, to bring peace to this war-torn world, but you read it as if it were just good literature and nothing else.” It’s crazy to think Gandhi, a Hindu far from God, knew the value and power that the Bible contained better than most Christ followers. When we treat the Word of God like any other book and not as the active, living, and breathing Word from the giver and sustainer of life we don’t truly get to the source of who He is.
That phrase living and active gives the same implication as the Hebrew word used in Genesis 2:7 when scripture states the Lord, “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” Just as the breath of God gave Adam life, the Word of God is living, active, and brings life. The Word of God has the power to convict a heart and determine its intentions. And when we truly understand that we live according to it. We are transformed by the message of the Gospel.
What about you? Have you gotten so used to the Word of God that you forgot its value? Has your time spent with God reading His Word grown routine? Take some time today to ask God to open your eyes to the power that scripture holds. Ask Him to renew your love for Him and His Word.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, Your Word is so sweet, yet I take it for granted so often. Lord, renew my love for You and Your Word. Help me to view scripture as it truly is, living, breathing, and active! In Jesus name, amen!
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Psalm 42:5- Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him my salvation.