September 29 | Hebrews 4:12-13

Dave Mann
Sep 29, 2025
3 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

The Word of God

By Dave Mann

What is the Word of God that is sharper than any two-edged sword? You may be surprised that there are actually several valid answers for this seemingly simple question.

The first answer is that the Bible is the Word of God. We believe the Bible is breathed by God to inspire the apostles and prophets to write it down. Many people have had the experience that when reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit has caused the reader to sense that God is speaking directly to directly him or her. See 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-31.

Another answer is that the proclamation of the message of God is the Word of God. Again, many believers have had the experience when listening to a Sunday sermon or to a talk during a retreat that the words came alive, and we who listened were touched by the words, and it was as though God were speaking specifically to us.

See Acts 13:44 & 48: On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord....When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

A third answer is that God can speak through a visionary or prophetic word. There are numerous times when the Word of the Lord came to the prophets of old. It may have been in a dream, or daytime vision, or a burning sense in the prophet’s heart.

Isaiah 38:4-5Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ...

Jeremiah chapter 1 relates how the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

Ezekiel chapters 1 & 35 record that the Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel.

Finally, and most fully, the Word of God is Jesus himself. Jesus is clearly the most accurate communication of who God is and what God wants us to know about God.

In John 1:1-3, 14 we read: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

When have you been touched by the Word of God in any of these ways? What was your response to the written Word, the proclaimed Word, the visionary Word, or Jesus himself?

PRAYER

Thank you, heavenly Father, for revealing your Word to us in so many different ways. Penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. In your mercy, allow us to receive your Word and to respond with an honest and good heart, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVE MANN

I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of seven. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.