"Under the Skin"

 It is under the skin, that change can begin,

And deep in the soul of a man.

God’s plan is about, change inside-out,

To show him he can’t, but God can.

The outward me is a cowboy, you see,

But inwardly I’m not just that,

But more than one part, makes up a heart,

And Jesus will always get at,

What we hold back, He will attack,

To help us to know He is Lord.

So that in everything, His power will bring,

Surgery by His great sword.

Alive and so free, working in me,

To lovingly change and adjust,

To only what’s true and what we should do,

Because in Him we put trust.

It’s under the skin, our change can begin,

And finish up when He is through,

We are sanctified, and in grace abide,

His will we’re empowered to do.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)

God’s word is compared to a sword in this verse. Ephesians chapter six calls God’s word the “sword of the Spirit.” These passages don’t refer to the Bible, but to the word God speaks directly to us. We believe the Bible contains God’s inspired word, and thus God will use it to speak His truth to us. But the principles recorded in scripture are applied as the Lord speaks to us personally about what we should change and do. The function of God’s sword, then, is to cut to the heart of what we think, feel, and ultimately do. He does this, not to harm us but to heal us. It may hurt, but all surgery has a pain factor and so does God’s work in us. But it is always to set us free by God’s truth. That’s what being sanctified is all about.

Lord, help us embrace the change that Your word brings, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mark Maggiori, markmaggiori.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Mark, and God bless you.