Luke 24:32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

What these two disciples described is an experience common to every true disciple of Jesus Christ. In fact, a song we sing in this church has the line, “Right now the Word is burning within me.” We might not describe it as “burning,” but other phrases applied to the experience are “quickening” and “jumping off the page.” It is what happens when God’s Spirit connects His Word with our spirit, and it is electrifying. It isn’t something we can produce at will, but we can certainly open ourselves up to it. People offer countless excuses for not receiving the Bible as the Word of God, starting with “accuracy of sources” to “copying errors,” “difficulties of translation,” and the list goes on and on. However much truth there might be in the specific argument, they are all ultimately no more than excuses for turning our back on what God is saying to us. It can seem really cute (if exasperating) when a little child says NO to what their parent is saying and turns their back, but it isn’t cute at all when the Parent in question is Father God. The writer to the Hebrews said, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) If we welcome it, it acts as a scalpel, cutting away things that are injurious to us and cutting off things that bind us, bringing us joy, freedom, and peace. If we resist or reject it, it is painful indeed, and seems to scar us. However, if we repent, we discover that those scars were actually blessings, building us up in ways we needed it. We don’t have the privilege of having Jesus walk with us physically and speak the Word to us, but anyone can open their heart and experience the Holy Spirit doing the same thing, whether in private devotions or in a church sermon or just in a conversation with a friend. It’s all in our attitude, which is why Jesus spoke repeatedly of “ears to hear,” both as He taught in Galilee (Mark 4:9, etc.) and after His glorification. (Revelation 2:7, etc.) We can and should choose to be listening, so that God’s Word may accomplish in and through us everything for which He sends it. (Isaiah 55:11)

Of course, this applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I am a man of words on several levels, and I am privileged to speak God’s Word to a variety of people. However, if I fail to receive that Word into my own heart, it does me little if any good. I need to be “warm-hearted,” not from humanistic emotions but because I’ve got a steady fire of the Word in me. I am at times sadly aware that not all of the junk is yet burned out of me, and I need Holy Spirit to keep up the work! My goal is for the flame of the Spirit to spread throughout this city and this nation, but for me to be involved in that, I’ve got to let it burn brightly in me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You did in the Easter celebrations yesterday. I pray that Your Word would continue to work in the hearts of all who heard, in the various forms in which it was expressed, to bring people to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!