The All-seeing Word

I’m one of those people who need to go on walks. Whatever the weather! And one of the great delights of walking along the coast on a wet and windy day is to see the gannets fishing. They are big, startlingly white sea-birds. They fly strongly over the rough sea, often about half a mile off the coast and about a hundred feet above the waves. If they see fish below, they fold their wings and dive almost vertically into the sea with quite a big splash. They are a magnificent sight, fantastic on a rough day but equally spectacular when the sea is calm and blue.

Great birds!

On wide, white wings of dazzling purity

Gliding, oh so freely, over ocean depth;

Laser-sharp eyes penetrating ripple-ruffled sea below.

So sudden!

Wings folded, plummeting, unerring, unswerving, dart-accurate,

Gleefully plunging,

Confident of catch.

One day, while I was watching the gannets fishing I began to think of what it says here in Hebrews about the word of God judging the heart. I’m sure you will have had that experience of God’s word suddenly hitting what feels like a ‘raw nerve’ in your inner being. The word might be a Scripture, or something in a book, or something someone says in a sermon or just in conversation – it doesn’t even have to be ‘prophetic’ or a word of knowledge. You just know that God has spoken. It’s as if the word itself has penetrated the surface and touched on something that we need to bring to God – something that’s out of alignment with His will; something that needs to be sorted out.

Great word of God!

Dazzling in your purity,

Unerring, sword-sharp, Seeing all that hides

Beneath this ripple-ruffled surface of my life.

Loving Word!

I yield my disordered life

To the wide white wings of your love.

And that’s the point, isn’t it? When we bring that sin, that failure, that bad attitude – whatever it is – to Him, we find ourselves welcomed and enfolded in His infinite grace, forgiveness and love.

Prayer: Father God, thank You that You know me inside out and that nothing is hidden from Your eyes. Thank You that, when Your word exposes anything in me that displeases You, You don’t condemn me, but just want me to let You deal with the issue. Lord, I want You to have full access to the hidden areas of my inner being so that You can heal me, restore me and set me on the path of Your choosing. Amen.