Spiral-sliced ham.
Turkey breast, moist and succulent. T-bone, sizzling on the grill. Ribs by the dozen, perhaps barbecued with extra sauce.
Don’t forget to include a sharp knife. We need to be able to slice the meat off the bone in order to get the most enjoyment from our meal.
Hebrews 4:12 reminds us:
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
To receive sustenance from Christ, to dine on the tasty morsels of the Word, to live life satisfied in God, his sword needs to flash, slicing to the bone, so that only the truth of his eternal nature remains.
John 14:6 cuts to the chase. We have only one way to heaven.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”
Romans 12:2 dices with unassailable diction our command to be different from those around us.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Hebrews 12:3-4 slashes at our luxury lifestyles. We must keep Christ as our focus, if we want to remain strong in him.
“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 is our presentation of our lives to the world, the perfection of our faith trimmed from the bone and served up as a sumptuous meal.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Christ came to cut away the old, to remove the gristle, toss the fat, and leave only the best in our lives for others to enjoy. When his sword cuts to the bone, all that’s left is our love for him.
Jesus is the blade that removes the detritus of sin, allowing us to become perfect in him.
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Code: FGO.J.14.16c.vp.esv