Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword

My little girl may just have a promising future career as a cartoon character. I’m listening to her converse with her stuffed animals. Each one has a different voice and personality. It is quite funny. Even funnier is when she tells one of them to shush. Given that she’s the one doing all the talking, that is. Sometimes I get a little scared that she might actually believe she’s having these conversations, that’s how active her imagination is.

It’s really funny until we tell her to tone it down a little, be a little quieter. Lady Dog can be quite shrill. Then it is not funny because then she inevitably will say, “It’s not me. It’s Lady Dog.” Disobedience is still disobedience, just because she’s being cute at the time doesn’t mean we let it slide. I’ve already told her that, no, it isn’t Lady Dog, it is Rachel and Rachel needs to obey when we tell her to be quieter. Next step is that Lady Dog is going to be taking a time out when a certain little someone decides cuteness and having fun trump obedience.

Then I get to thinking about my own tendency towards obedience or not. God’s word has a way of really cutting to the heart when you spend time pondering it and memorizing it. As you do, you begin to see areas that need repenting when you realize you can’t keep memorizing and saying a certain passage over and over with a clear conscience because there’s something there in your heart that needs dealing with. When I come to see that something I am doing or have done, or am not doing or haven’t done, doesn’t measure up to God’s word and I’m not walking in a manner worthy of the gospel, do I try to be cute and justify it, try to make it more acceptable, or do I own up and confess and repent? Disobedience is still disobedience, no matter how pretty or justifiable or acceptable I may try to make it.

I count it a mercy that the Holy Spirit lovingly searches our hearts and convicts us and speaks to us through His word and leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake, to conform us to the image of Christ. And speaking from experience, when such a thing becomes clear and you finally surrender and do what you know you need to do, it is really freedom.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12