Read: Hebrews 4:1–13

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

The Gospel of John tells us that the “Word became flesh and lived among us.” The Word is Jesus. This is a way of saying that Jesus is the embodiment of all that God has said from the beginning of time, starting with God describing creation as good. It has been a long-held Christian belief that if Jesus is the Word, then we can have an actual encounter with Jesus through the Word—that is, through scripture. As the writer of the letter to the Hebrews attests, there is a living quality to scripture. When reading God’s word in the Bible, one can feel as if the words themselves are at work in one’s life. Who has not been struck by how a particular verse of scripture—even when it is taken a bit out of context—can illuminate our lives? There are moments when it can feel as if God is speaking directly to us through a biblical text. As Christians, we dare to believe that voice is the voice of Jesus, the living Word, and our resurrected Lord.

Do you remember reading a particular passage of scripture and feeling as if it was meant just for you?

Lord, speak to me. Allow me to hear Your voice. Encounter me as I feebly try to encounter You. I need Your word—I need You today. In Your name, I pray. AMEN.