September 30th, 2025
In the book of Hebrews, chapter 4 at verses 10–12 we read this:
“For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (ESV)
As I was reading this passage this week, I was surprised that verse 12 was here. I have often quoted this verse to speak to the incredible power of the Word of God. To remember and understand that every time I read the Bible it is alive. And although it is not changing, it is in fact alive, weaving a beautiful pattern of wisdom into the tapestry of seasons that make up our lives. That is true. That wasn’t the surprise for me. It was the context. And every word in the Bible should be considered in context.
The surprise for me was that it’s a message on sabbath rest.
I believe the connective tissue is found in the beauty of the imagery and juxtaposition painted in verse 12, telling us what His Word is:
The Word is not a dead letter on a page. It breathes with the very life of God. When it speaks, creation responds. It does not age, fade, or weaken. Every word is present tense, alive today as when it was first spoken.
God’s Word is not passive ink. It is energy in motion, accomplishing what He intends. It works in us even when we resist it. It reforms our minds, reshapes our desires, and directs our steps.
The image is a weapon. A double-edged sword can protect or destroy, and the Word does both. It cuts down lies, pierces defenses, and strikes the heart. It is both comfort and confrontation. A sword leaves no neutral ground.
What seems indivisible to us, the Word can separate. Soul and spirit blur together in our understanding. Our inner life, our desires, our worship, our fears. It does the delicate surgery we cannot perform on ourselves.
Joints are where motion happens. Marrow is the hidden source of life within the bone. Together they represent both action and essence. The Word reaches not only what we do outwardly, but the deeply hidden aspects of life that feed it. Nothing is beyond its reach.
We can mask our motives from others, even from ourselves. But the Word unmasks them. It weighs not just what we think, but why we think it. It probes the secret drives behind our choices, exposing ambition, pride, fear, or faith. It is the mirror in which our true condition is revealed.
The rest here is about understanding that we are secure in the finished work of Jesus. Whoever has entered that rest has ceased from his own works, just as God did from His.
And out of that security, when we strive to enter that rest, we find life abundant.
It is the sword that cuts through our excuses and exposes our striving for what it really is.
As leaders, this is not abstract. The world tells us to work harder, to prove ourselves, to live restless and driven. But the King calls us to lead from rest. From the assurance of His finished work. From trust instead of fear. From faith instead of frantic striving.
If you have never done this, consider this your sign. Take in the whole counsel of God. It is His living Word, and we need all of it.
Do not just read for information. Let the Word cut. Ask: Am I building my life and work from the finished work of Christ, or from fear, pride, and self-effort?
The paradox is clear. We do not strive for salvation; we strive to believe it is finished, and let our lives and action reflect that belief. Out of that rest flows abundant life. Strive to live from the rest Jesus has already secured.
