God’s Word is amazing! In the letter to the Hebrews it says, “… The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Yep!
I love that my church has truly consummate theologians. We have theologians who have dedicated their lives to studying God’s word, even going back to and mastering the original languages in which it was originally inspired. They can bring to us fine, nuanced understandings of the history, culture, circumstances, linguistic features, and context in which that word was birthed by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. This work is invaluable. It allows us to extract the truest meaning of that word so that we can apply it to our lives! It allows us to perpetuate both the word and meaning for future generations. My utmost respect for these amazing people.
While I endeavor to understand the original languages, and take the step of considering the original language in my sermon preparation, I am in no way capable of doing what these amazing Bible scholars do. However, I am heartened. I know that the most critical things from the word come to us as God the Holy Spirit uses the word as his vehicle. He works through that word and helps us to receive, believe, and apply the word to our lives.
I believe that the Spirit does the same for all who take on the task of prayerfully entering the word of God. That word has power. It comes to us with the ability to transform hearts and lives. The word is alive and can elevate us to heaven. As the Spirit amazingly helps us to discern and apply that word, it invariably moves us to – THE WORD – Jesus Christ!
In Genesis we read that before each day in the creation, “God said…” and it came to be. The word powerfully moved and somehow brought things to be out of nothing. This is something like a truly gifted artist does as he / she takes on a blank canvas and out jumps a masterpiece, or a composer begins putting notes on a blank score and a symphony is born.
Interestingly, several thousand years later the Apostle John writes: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The great Artist in the creation was THE WORD!
Even us less than scholarly theologians, and just simply feet-on-the-ground Bible readers can have the creative power of the word turn us toward THE WORD – Jesus. That WORD comes and, like the great Artist that He is, creates a clean heart, renews our spirits, and brings life and light to darkened souls.
You don’t need to be a consummate theologian to have the word bless you. I’m not. And that word has done the best thing ever for me – brought THE WORD into my life! Be in the word so that you can get to know THE WORD better!
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