Devotional: When Scripture Opens You Up for More

Scripture

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

“For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit.” Hebrews 6:4 (NLT)

Suggested Reading

• Hebrews 4:12
• Hebrews 6:4–8
• Ezekiel 37:1–14

Lesson

I didn’t plan to speak that Sunday. It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t rehearsed. It was just something I had to say.

It was June 23, 2024. I stood up in church, nervous and shaky, and shared.

I’ve been a Christian all my life. I was raised in church and learned about God from a young age, for which I’m deeply grateful. But like many of you, my walk hasn’t been without pain.

My husband and I have faced multiple pregnancy losses: identical twins, an ectopic pregnancy, and a preterm delivery. To be nearly 26 weeks pregnant with twins, Ava and Isaac, felt like a miracle already unfolding.

Over the past several months, our church had been studying the book of Hebrews. It’s been both humbling and healing. That morning, our pastor preached from Hebrews 6:4–8, a hard passage. As I listened, I found myself thinking: What if I’m stuck? What if God has given up on me? What if I’ve missed my chance to grow?

But then I remembered Hebrews 4:12: “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.”

That verse reminded me that Scripture doesn’t just speak about others, it speaks to us. God’s Word is a sword that cuts through our walls and wounds, opening us to the truth He’s still trying to tell us.

A few years ago, after my ectopic pregnancy, my husband and I wrestled with what to name that baby. We eventually chose the name Zechariah, which means “God remembered.” At the time, I believed that name came to us as a comfort, that God was remembering our baby, and that one day we’d be reunited in Heaven.

But the truth is, I wasn’t living a surrendered life then. I wasn’t reading the Bible. I hadn’t truly submitted to God. Honestly, I didn’t even know who Zechariah was in Scripture.

Then, nearly two years before during Advent, our pastor began the Christmas series, not with Mary, but with Zechariah. I was stunned. I hadn’t remembered that Zechariah was John the Baptist’s father, yet we had named our son after him.

That was the moment when Scripture pierced my heart. I knew God hadn’t just remembered our baby. God had remembered me.

Even when my faith was dormant. Even when I was far away. Even when I didn’t know the significance of the name we had chosen, God was still speaking.

Hearing Zechariah’s story about how he struggled to trust, how he grew through silence and surrender had reminded me that even when we feel closed off, hard-hearted, or spiritually numb, God is still working. He still breathes life into us. He still does miracles.

So if you’re wondering whether you can still grow, don’t lose hope. Be open. Get into Scripture. Let the Word do what only it can.

Because now, nearly two years later, the book of Hebrews has made something very clear to me: God is still speaking.

That Sunday, after I shared in church, a friend texted me: “The devil’s going to be mad.”

The next morning, June 24th, my water broke fourteen weeks early. On June 25th, Ava and Isaac were born.

I didn’t know how true my testimony would be, or how much we’d still need the living Word in the NICU, at home, and in the unknowns. But God was already preparing me. And He’s still growing me.

And now, almost a year later, I’m sitting with Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones and hard hearts, and I can’t help but cry. Because it’s the same story. In Ezekiel’s vision, the bones were not mostly alive. They were completely dead. Yet God asked Ezekiel whether they could live again. Humanly speaking, the answer was “no.” But God breathed His Spirit into what seemed hopeless, and life returned. That is what He does with hard hearts, dormant faith, broken dreams, and people who think they have missed their chance. 

God takes what’s lifeless and forgotten. He breathes into it. And He says: Live.

This devotional isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about seeing what God has done. It’s about proof. Proof that Scripture is alive today. In hospitals. In graveyards. In small churches and quiet mornings.

This book is for anyone who’s felt stuck in Hebrews 6, unsure if they’ll ever grow again. It’s for those who named a baby Zechariah before they understood who he was. It’s for the one who sat in the back row thinking, God, are You still talking to me?

Yes. He is. And this is proof.

Application

God is still speaking through His Word, and He often uses our stories to carry His voice into the lives of others. My story may sound dramatic with pregnancy loss, the NICU, and a hard passage from Hebrews, but your story matters just as much. It does not have to be traumatic or extraordinary, or maybe yours is too! It could be the verse that gave you peace in a hard season, the moment you realized God saw you, the small whisper that kept you from missing something important, or the time you could not explain why you felt so full of joy except that Jesus was near.

When Scripture opens you up for more, do not keep it to yourself. Share it! That is how prophecy looks today: ordinary people speaking God’s truth into one another’s lives. Here is my story. What is yours? What gets your heart pumping for Jesus?

Reflection Questions

• When has God’s Word pierced your heart and reminded you that He sees you?
• What story could you share to encourage someone else that Scripture is alive today?
• How might God be asking you to use your testimony as a form of prophecy in this season?

Prayer

Lord, thank You that Your Word is alive and powerful. Thank You for reminding me that You remember me and You still speak. Help me to notice where You are opening my heart, and give me courage to share those moments with others. Use my story, whether big or small, to point people back to You. Here I am, Lord, speak to me again. Amen.