Submit to
the sword of the Word
Note: we often
struggle with one (or both) of two extremes: we burden ourselves with
unnecessary guilt and beat ourselves up, and/or we rest comfortably and
unreflectively in God's "amazing grace." If you struggle a
great deal with the former, you should ignore today's suggestion.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6: 17).
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6: 17).
For the word of God is alive 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 (Heb. 4: 12).
When I had an abscessed tooth, the dentist's drill dug deep and
removed the toxins from its roots. It was not fun, but I'm glad it
happened. The word of God is like that drill: it's like a sword
that penetrates deep into our souls and opens us up to the Lord's purifying
fire which removes our toxins. Centuries ago Ignatius Loyola developed
the "daily examen" prayer, a prayer of opening up the past 24 hours
of our lives before God's word and inviting him to "search and test
us" (see Psalm 139: 23-24). Ultimately, inviting that sword into the
center of our being is the most healing act we can take.
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