I was just lying down to sleep, when out of the silence, I heard my little girl crying.

She had been asleep for a while, and woke up with a scary dream.

We laid there, talking about her dream, about how the enemy bothers her in the same way he often bothers me. I placed my hands on her beautiful head and prayed over her in the name of Jesus.

And then the best thing in all the world happened.

“Mommy, do you think you could read me some of my Bible now?”

My heart swelled. This is something I love about being with my kids day after day.

I have the privilege in this season of life, to lead these little people to the truth so many times–that they end up leading me to it.

What a joy to watch them accept God’s Word into their lives, into their questions, into their fears. This was just a little glimpse of that, but one for which I am grateful.

I had been studying Hebrews 4 for days, thinking about writing my next post in this series on the book of Hebrews.

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.

The word FOR at the beginning of this verse tells us that it points backward to the previous verses. Because the Word is living, active, sharp, piercing, and discerning—we are to make every effort to enter God’s rest, {as I wrote in my last post on Hebrews 4}.

Just before this verse comes a warning–to NOT wander through life in restless unbelief.

Instead, we should trust God, persevere in faith, and fight unbelief by regularly putting the Word into our hearts and minds.

So let’s break down what this verse teaches us about the Word of God:

God’s Word is a Living Power.

The apostle John wrote this in one of his letters to the church~

I write to you young men, because you are strong and the Word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 1 John 2:14b

The Word is not only alive and powerful, but it lives inside all of us who believe. That’s an incredible truth, isn’t it?

God’s Word is at work to accomplish His purposes.

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

God’s Word is the sharpest sword.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

God’s Word pierces down to our deepest parts.

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37, ESV

God’s Word exposes our true thoughts and motives.

“Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” Jeremiah 23:29, NIV

Often, our motives are a mix of purely human and truly spiritual. We need God’s Word each day, to help us sort them out.

Is the Word of God like a burning fire within you, or has your flame died down?

May the living, powerful Word of God work in us today, like refining fire.