The Word of God

Do you remember when I used to post on my blog? I remember those days. Waking up each morning and deciding what to talk about that day. Making lists of things I wanted to tell you in the future. Planning our daily menu on what I wanted to make that day. *Sigh* Those were the good ol' days, weren't they?

I have had a lot on my mind lately. Don't worry. I am not going to take you on a journey through my head. Go to Disneyland instead. The animation is much better. (I will reiterate my previous confession that I am artistically challenged.) I would like to share one of my thoughts with you though.

I like that our experiences shape the way we look at the scriptures. For example, I love kids and want about a million of them. When I read in the scriptures the way the Savior reacts to having kids near Him, I feel better about the way my heart is drawn to them. It makes those stories more touching to me.

I am finding that because I spend so much time thinking about, studying, and reading about food, when things that can relate to food are mentioned in the scriptures, I have a different perspective than someone who cares enough about food to eat it. Does that make sense? I hope it does by the time I am finished today.

In Hebrews 4:12, there is a comparison that tugged at the corners of my mind for weeks. I'm going to copy the scripture here so you can stay with me.

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

I know this sounds weird, but it took me back to culinary school when we were butchering chicken. I was taught to use the joints as a guide to separate the thighs and wings from the chicken. It makes the work easier because you don't have to cut through bone. (Anyone in those classes can tell you that I was determined to be friends with a butcher so I didn't have to do those things. I don't like cutting through bones.) I only knew that marrow is inside bones. Impressive, right? I did some research. Basically, marrow is soft tissue inside bones that creates red blood cells. Red blood cells deliver oxygen to our organs. Without oxygen, they shut down. So, bone marrow is important.

That's the background of where my thoughts always lead when I read about joints and marrow. So you can imagine how I was a little confused about what it meant to divide joints and marrow. If you look at this phrase by itself it doesn't make much sense. However, if you compare it with dividing our body and spirit, it opens up an entire world of insights.

First, remember when I said that our experiences shape the way we look at the scriptures? Well, it's more than that. We read in the scriptures that we learn the gospel of Jesus Christ line by line and precept by precept. That doesn't mean that those lines and precepts are stacked on top of you until you feel overwhelmed. That means that we are presented with a line of the gospel and once we understand and are ready for more, we are given another line to help our progression. It is a very personal and merciful gospel.

The word of God can separate the temporal from the spiritual in our lives. As we read the scriptures and words of modern prophets and apostles, we can allow it to affect our temporal lives by choosing to keep the commandments found in them. (I think of this almost like a check list. Keep the Sabbath Day holy, don't kill, love your neighbor, etc.) We also have the choice to allow the words of God to affect our spiritual lives. We end up doing all of the things on the checklist, but we know why were are doing them. We are actually becoming like Christ.

Now, to use the joint and marrow comparison to come to that same conclusion. We know that joints are important for all of our movements. (Click here for my resource for this truth.) We don't always think that without marrow (and by extension, red blood cells and oxygen) having joints isn't enough to help you move. We can do those things on our checklist, but without knowing why and becoming better by doing them, it is almost like having a joint without the marrow necessary to move it.

Marrow carries oxygen to every part of our body. Every single part of our body. It helps our bodies reach their amazing physical potential. We can move, breathe, and ultimately create life. Our spiritual potential is just as incredible. Since we are literally His sons and daughters we have the potential to become like our Heavenly Father. The only way we can do that is to let the word of God "pierce" our souls and "divide asunder" those attributes that will keep us from reaching our potential. Then as He discerns our thoughts and the intents of our hearts, He will see us as He intended us to be: like Him.