For me, one of the most precious results of memorizing Scripture for over a decade has been the opportunity to personally testify to the holy Scriptures being alive. That’s a pretty wordy sentence to start this post with, but don’t worry, I’ll be explaining it thoroughly.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “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.”
“The word of God” is a title for the Bible, our holy Scriptures that are God’s words written and preserved for us to know Him and how to follow Him. This verse calls the Bible living, which means it is not a dead, dusty, rusty, document. Although ancient in its existence, its message is just as powerful and just as applicable for the modern world today. Though we sometimes need to wrestle with our understanding of the text and find it helpful to consider the ancient culture it was written in, this glorious text is written for the believers reading it today just as much as it was written for the believers of long ago.
“The word of God is living” in that is not a passive text that we can read and ignore. By the Holy Spirit’s power, in the original writing when He breathed the words and in the application of them to the individual when He illuminates the words, one cannot read the Bible and be unaffected. As the rain which falls on the earth and brings forth life,
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
If you spend any time in the word of God, you will be able to testify to its innate, living power.
“The word of God is living” in that every phrase continues to live. We cannot consume one verse’s entire purpose, meaning, and available application through careful study of it. We can never say, “I have learned all there is to learn about this chapter.” Each phrase, each verse, each chapter can continue to teach us all the days of our lives. This is where I can testify loudly to God’s word being alive.
Despite the fact that I have had some passages hidden in my heart for a decade or more, I continue to learn new and precious truths from them. Who knows how many hundreds of times I have uttered certain words of Scriptures and then when I recite them once more the Holy Spirit uses them to teach me, guide me, convict me, comfort me, etc.
Today I was reciting Hebrews 11 and I did not make it past verse 5 because something stood out to me in a way I have never noticed it before and I had to stop and be in awe of God’s glorious word. I memorized the book of Hebrews last year, but chapter 11 through 12 verse 2 was something I memorized almost a decade ago. These words are very familiar to me! But I had never noticed before the poetic contrast between Abel and Enoch’s testimony in verses 4 and 5:
“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
Abel was faithful and died. Enoch was faithful and did not see death.
Now this may not seem as ground-breaking to you, but to me, since these words are so familiar to me I recite them in my sleep, it was like hearing a whisper from God Himself. In other words, I was VERY excited. Once again I can testify to God’s word being living, I am still learning from these phrases today! And once again I have the opportunity to praise God for His mastery in the written text of the Bible. Oh! what a glorious book this is! I always thought it a bit random that God would make space to include Enoch in the “Hall of Faith” when He had other options like those He mentions later in chapter 11: “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets…” but now I see that at least ONE of His purposes was for the sheer beauty and power of it as a literary tool. One had faith and died, but his testimony still speaks. One had faith and did not die, and his testimony still speaks.
As I meditated on this contrast between Abel and Enoch, I was struck by how they had opposite testimonies in one sense, but the same testimony in another: they were faithful. This is the key to every testimony in the “Hall of Faith,” that they had faith in the God who is faithful and thereby they could persevere and obtain a good testimony.
I’ll bet if Abel had a chance to talk with God before his death, he would have liked to ask God for another way for his testimony to be made. “Wouldn’t it be more powerful, more useful to You if I could live a long life in service to You?” But God had a greater story in mind by allowing Cain to commit this first murder motivated by jealousy of his brother Abel’s righteousness. Because of the greater story God continued to write, Abel is remembered to this day and “he being dead still speaks.”
I remember having a conversation with God like the one I imagine Abel would have had if he had the chance. Once I was struggling with silent migraines which caused terrible vertigo without a headache’s pain. Although I was grateful not to be suffering from terrible pain, I was still confined to bed and was unable to do anything for the Lord whenever I was having a migraine. I remember having a disjointed conversation with Him, (disjointed because the migraine messed with my ability to focus), and asked Him why He was allowing this trial in my life. It didn’t seem as if it was a very practical trial. I couldn’t even pray properly when the vertigo was at its worst. What could God be accomplishing through me during that time? Surely I would be much more effective in His service if I were not struggling with this vertigo.
I realized two things. One, whenever I was confined to my bed with the dizziness it gave my husband a greater and more obvious opportunity for my husband to serve me. This was a powerful testimony for my daughters to see: a godly husband caring for his wife, selflessly, patiently, kindly. Two, God receives glory when I respond to a trial in faith, even when no one else sees it. He sees it, and that is enough.
This second realization had me dwelling on the testimony of my favorite poet, Martha Snell Nicholson. She was an invalid for almost her entire life. I’m sure she had her fair share of conversations like mine with the Lord, arguing humbly that perhaps she could do more for God if He removed the thorns in the flesh that plagued her. But God did not remove her trials, and she responded in faith. This would have been enough for God to be glorified, her response of simple faith in her physical trials already being an act of exquisitely beautiful worship before the Lord. But God also led her to do something more, to write out her faith in simple but rich poetry that blessed many, many other believers. Her testimony shines brightly because of her faith, even though, perhaps, it wasn’t the type of testimony she would have chosen.
Just like Abel and Enoch who had unique testimonies they did not choose for themselves. But they continued in faith, and just like the rest of the heroes written in Hebrews 11, they obtained a good testimony. Therefore, we also. Since are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses from ancient times and from modern times, the people who have run the race ahead of us and have obtained a good testimony by a variety of means and yet through one simple means of faith— let us lay aside every weight (anything that slows us down) and the sin which so easily ensnares us (oh how easily), and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Because we look to Jesus, yes, let us look to Jesus! We run through this life, facing the trials that He has allowed to come and shape our race and provide opportunity for our testimonies, and by faith we continue to run to Him. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before Him (the delight of seeing what He has Authored persevere to the end) endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
All of these deep thoughts were flowing together in my heart after seeing the poetic contrast between Abel and Enoch’s testimony. After years of having this incredible passage written on my heart, I can testify to the fact that God’s word is indeed “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.” I am still learning from the same phrases today, and their familiarity has not dulled their edge. They remain sharp and pierce me even to my soul and spirit to accomplish what God wishes to accomplish in my life. I submit to the LORD and the testimony He wishes to write through my life. I know I do not get to choose the way in which He will Author this testimony, but I do persevere in faith because, like the heroes in Hebrews 11, I am running to Jesus.
Blessed be the name of the LORD.
Rachel Eernisse, Scripture Speaker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6v5zvMdQ80&t=2862s
After reading this blog post, you may be interested in reading some the poetry of Martha Snell Nicholson. I believer all of her works are now in the public domain are available in a variety of corners on the internet, here is one of those corners: http://www.homemakerscorner.com/MSN-Martha-Snell-Nicholson-poetry.html
Here is one of her poems, which captures her experience and testimony well:
Pain knocked upon my door and said
That she had come to stay;
And though I would not welcome her
But bade her go away,
She entered in. Like my own shade
She followed after me,
And from her stabbing, stinging sword
No moment was I free.
And then one day another knocked
Most gently at my door.
I cried, “No, Pain is living here,
There is no room for more”.
And then I heard His tender voice,
” ‘Tis I, be not afraid”.
And from the day He entered in —
The difference it made!
For though He did not bid her leave,
(My strange, unwelcome guest,)
He taught me how to live with her.
Oh, I had never guessed
That we could dwell so sweetly here,
My Lord and Pain and I,
Within this fragile house of clay
While years slip slowly by!
And this is the poem I wrote during that short season dealing with vertigo as I pondered Martha’s testimony and how we worship God and minister to His heart when we respond to secret trials in faith:
_Some of the most beautiful sermons
That ever were preached
Were preached to only a few.
The glories of Heaven revealed for an hour,
Then gone like the fresh morning dew.
The impact on the world
Too minor to mention.
The impact to the listeners—
Great or small.
But God is honored by His truth’s declaration.
By sovereign wisdom He redeems all.
Perhaps the most beautiful rose
That ever had bloomed
Bloomed while hiding from view.
The petals that blossomed inspired no praises.
No praiser was there to be moved.
The impact to the world
Was just non-existent.
The impact did not matter,
Not at all,
For God is gladdened
To see the beauty He created,
From the largest creation to small._
Some of the most beautiful moments
Of faith being proven,
Are hidden from anyone’s view.
The testing of faith through the trials of fire,
It’s genuine gold shining through.
The impact to the world
Seems non-existent.
The impact to others
Is so small.
But God is worshipped
By faith strong in secret.
By sovereign wisdom
He redeems all.
You can read more of my poetry inspired by meditating on passages of Scripture here: https://a.co/d/4pehWKV