Submit to the Surgery

“Scalpel please!” Famous first words used at the start of surgery…at least as seen on TV. Surgeons have the unique task of making the distinction between healthy cells and perhaps cancerous, gangrenous, or otherwise infected cells. A thin line of delineation can exist between what belongs and what must be removed. So they don’t approach the procedure with a dull butter knife. Nor do they show up with hacksaw in hand. The tool of choice for the job is a scalpel, a razor-sharp blade that slices with precision and intention.

It’s interesting to me that the word of God in Ephesians 6:17 is described as the sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12-13 uses even more picturesque language, depicting the word of God as living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division between soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Can’t you just visualize the patient on the operating table “open and laid bare”. Sterile environment. High-beam lights to maximize visibility. Monitors beeping rhythmically in the background. Chest cavity open. Heart exposed, pulsating. And there, in the gown and gloves is the Master Surgeon, the Great Physician with scalpel in hand, ready to operate.

But this surgery won’t require a deep incision through the epidermis, dermis, or subcutaneous layers of skin. No anesthesia, blood loss, stitches, or sutures. This surgery is spiritual in nature. But akin to every other major surgery, pain is indeed involved.

For though there is no physical incision, there is a Bible-shaped scalpel that cuts deeper than any surgical instrument ever could.

Soul and Spirit

The first job of the scalpel is to distinguish between what’s you (soul) and what’s Him (spirit). Have you ever read the passages on the Israelites’ knack for complaining despite experiencing God’s deliverance and miracles over and over again? Have you then wondered how Israel could possibly complain after experiencing the Red Sea opening as a safe passageway for them, then witness it drown their enemies soon thereafter? I certainly have.

But then, the Holy Spirit uses that same passage to highlight that despite God’s impeccable track-record of provision and blessings to you, you’ve developed a habit of complaining when things don’t go your way. Ouch! What happened? The Word made an incision that revealed a distinct difference between a trait in you (soul) that is unlike His character (spirit). Since He revealed it, He doesn’t want it to remain. Submit to the surgery. Allow Him to excise that which is unlike Him.

Joint and Marrow

The next job of the scalpel of God’s word is to make the distinction between joint and marrow. Joints indicate movement and activity. Hinge joint at the knee and elbow. Pivot joint of the neck. Ball and socket joint of the hip and shoulder. All facilitate motion. But how many know you can have movement with no life? Daily activity with no real meaning connected to it. Existing without really living.

Marrow on the other hand is what produces life. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets find their origin in the bone marrow. The very life of each individual is dependent on the work produced deep in this spongy tissue. Likewise, the experience of real life is dependent on the life-giving word of God.

The men in Luke 5 knew what it meant to spend all their efforts, only to come up empty. They had fished all night long and caught nothing. Their efforts were consumed with activity that passed the time, but produced no result.

No one wants to spend their life simply going through the motions of day-to-day living. Get up. Eat. Go to work at a job you dread while spending hours doing work you’re not passionate about. Go home. Watch some TV. Go to bed. Rinse and repeat. Day after day, month after month, year after year. Existence with no life. Joints with no marrow.

 But then Jesus spoke a word to exhausted, frustrated, drained Peter to push out once more and throw his nets out for a catch. Peter, though initially hesitant and contrary, followed Jesus’ instructions. And joints (activity) met marrow (life).

After such wasted efforts, wasted time, wasted energy all night long, Peter’s net, at Jesus’ word, suddenly was so full of fish, it began to break. When he motioned to his partners for help, the quantity of fish filled and began to sink both boats. Verse 9 tells us, amazement had seized him and all of his companions because of the catch of the fish which they had taken.

Jesus’ next words were their commission: “from now on you will be catching men.” He connected their current occupation with their calling, their skill in fishing to their purpose in drawing others to Him. And when they returned to shore, the Bible says, they left everything and followed Him.

What’s the point? The word of God offers life to your monotonous activity. Gives purpose to your daily exertion. They could have opted to retain their routine. Sometimes experience feast, sometimes famine. But then, why settle for fish when you’re called to influence lives? They quickly realized that activity disconnected from real life in Christ is wasted efforts.

Is your life lacking meaning, purpose, impact? Link your existence to the fruitful, vibrant life found only in Christ. Experience Him infuse your empty existence with purposeful living.

Thoughts and Intentions

The third job of the scalpel is to judge what’s in the mind (thoughts) and discern why you’re thinking that way (intentions). Much of what you do, say, and think originates from your history, background, experiences, and upbringing. Any number of influences can help shape your worldview along the way. The problem is, every person you’ve encountered is flawed. So however well-meaning they are, their advice, opinions, and influence can be distorted from the truth.

So if you take a portion of your information from the media, acquire a piece of your knowledge from philosophers, formulate your opinions based on your limited life experiences, pick up both good and bad traits from your parents while listening to the voices of your friends, you could be a jumbled mess.

There has to be a set standard to which you can look to determine the appropriate way to think, and so act. Thankfully, we have such a standard in the word of God. Last post focused on the idea of filtering our thoughts through God’s word to determine if they are beneficial or detrimental.

For instance, if you’re thinking, “I’ll always be in debt. Bills are just a way of life.” The word of God can help you dissect that thought to determine its origin and intent. Who told you that? The advertisers? The Joneses? The credit card companies? What’s their goal in getting you to think that way?

• Since Proverbs 22:7 clearly states, “The borrower is the slave of the lender”, the aforementioned line of thinking could not have originated from God. It doesn’t line up with His standard.

• Romans 13:7-8 further directs to pay to all what is owed to them. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

So, if your way of thinking (about any subject matter) does not align with the standard of God’s word, it must adjust. The standard (by definition) won’t change.

But how do you change flawed thinking? Whether it’s a long-standing conviction or a deep-seated belief, it’s not enough to just stop thinking wrong thoughts. Erroneous thoughts have to be replaced by ones based in the truth. But how? 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells Christians we have the mind of Christ. We have the capacity and ability to download the thoughts of Christ into our thinking. Have our thoughts mirror His thoughts. Our ideas align with His purposes.

How? God’s instructions to Joshua in Joshua 1:8 gives great insight. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 

Changing your thoughts doesn’t happen by chance.  Sinful thoughts are replaced by meditating on the truth. You can’t know the truth without exposure to it. And the truth won’t become a part of you without engaging with it regularly.

As a pharmacist, I could never have memorized the Top 200 Drugs (including brand and generic names, doses, mechanisms of action, FDA approved and off-label uses, and common side effects) without consistent study of them. Day and night, weekdays and weekends, alert or dead-tired, I made time to research, recite, and retain the information. All in the name of a career, which is temporary.

How much more should we be willing to dedicate time, energy, and effort to reading, studying, and searching the Scriptures to discover the eternal God who desires to make Himself known to us? Incidentally, the more we read and study God’s word, the more our thoughts start to reflect His principles. And our old, flawed thoughts get replaced with the truth. Familiarity with the word of God is familiarity with the mind of Christ.

Informed Consent

Which leads to the last point. How bad do you want it? The surgical room has been prepped. The instruments have been autoclaved. The Surgeon is scrubbed up. The scalpel of the word of God is prepared for its incision. Just one problem.

You see, except in the case of an emergency, each patient has to give consent prior to surgical procedures. That is, an extensive packet of forms is required to be explained by the physician or surgeon and reviewed by the patient. It details the reason for the procedure, the expectations, the risks, the benefits, any alternatives, and the expected recovery time.

But having heard the surgeon explain the procedure, you can either a) decline the surgery altogether, b) opt for more information or a second opinion before deciding, or c) elect to proceed with the surgery.

Jesus, as the Master Surgeon, will never proceed with a surgery without your permission. He provided 66 books-worth of information detailing the need for the procedure, its benefits, and the consequences without it. He even included references and testimonials of past patients He’s successfully operated on. But then He does what every surgeon does. He gives us the option to choose (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19-20).

So, having read a piercing scripture, we can a) reject what’s written altogether, b) academically compare it to other opinions, philosophies, or beliefs, or c) elect to be changed by it. I pray we consistently choose the latter.

Authorize Jesus to perform spiritual surgery. To use His word to penetrate your heart and mind, differentiating between what belongs and what does not. Consent to Him slicing away what’s unlike His character and helping you prioritize real life over mere activity. And yes, permit the adoption of His thoughts into your mind by making time to constantly interact with and meditate on His word.

The dotted line on the consent form awaits.

Submit to the surgery. And receive back a completely unrecognizably transformed life.