In the gospel according to John, God’s Word is revealed to us, identified as Christ Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God…And the Word became flesh and lived among us…full of grace and truth.” (Jn.1:1-2, 14) When today we hear Paul tell the church at Thessalonica that God’s word is at work in us believers, we know he is speaking of the risen Lord, “…the implanted word that has the power to save your souls,” as the epistle of James puts it (1:21b). The first epistle of Peter affirms God’s saving word at work in us by proclaiming: “You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1:23)

The letter to the Hebrews moves from the pastoral seed-planting image to one more vigorous, more breathtaking. “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from matter; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (4:12) The sword image brings to mind Jesus’ own words as recorded n Mark’s gospel: “Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword,” (10:34) a sword that can cleave open our hearts and minds so that we may hear and receive God’s life-giving word. We find that same image in John’s apocalyptic vision on Patmos where Christ is pictured with “a sharp two-edged sword” (Rev.1:16) coming from his mouth with the word of God to convict our hearts and encourage our souls. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul, on the other hand, identifies “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (6:17b) as part of the armor of God that may be used to defend against the powers of evil.

We do find God’s Word in God’s word, but more importantly, we find God’s Word at work in our lives. What is your experience of God’s Word? How is God’s Word at work in your life?