Cutting Both Ways

This past Christmas our number one son and his wife gave the beloved hubby and I a set of very nice kitchen knives, extremely sharp knives. The jokers around here entertained themselves discussing the wisdom of putting such knives in the hands of someone as easily distracted as yours truly. I couldn’t help but laugh at their routine, even if it came at my own expense.

If we were a betting family, and we aren’t, I have no doubt that they would’ve also laid down some friendly wagers as to how long it might be before I cut myself. And you know what bothers me the most about that, right? Some clown would’ve collected already. Dad gummit.

I tried to be careful. I took my very healthy fear of those sharp new knives and I tried to avoid losing a finger. I made it about a week before the first accident. It wasn’t bad, and I didn’t sacrifice a digit, but blood was let and bandages were required.

Those super sharp knives remind me of some familiar words from Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing 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.”

Sharper than any two edged sword, if we present ourselves before God’s Word, the truth found there can cut away the dead tissue of our hearts to reveal brand new pink flesh that beats for Him and pulses with the promise of eternal life. However, the same razor sharp Word will one day lay every heart open and bare before the eyes of a Holy God, bringing judgment to those who chose not to heed it. Anyone expecting to out maneuver this sharp two-edged Sword on that day will find they’ve made a costly mistake, and there will be no room for repentance.

Come friend. If we’ll cultivate a healthy fear of God’s Word, we can enjoy the unsurpassed pleasure of the Author’s company in this life, as well as the next.