Pierced

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

PIERCED

Luke 2:33-35

33 The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

NIV

It is slightly curious why Joseph and Mary marveled at the words of Simeon. Mary had a visitation from an angel and became pregnant being a virgin. Joseph had an angelic visitation informing him of want was to happen concerning Jesus. Surely the shepherds must have told them about what had happened in the fields concerning their being visited by a host of angels and what they were told concerning Jesus. So by now it would seem they surely most have known who their baby was, yet they were marveled that Simeon called Jesus his salvation and a light for the Gentiles. But then he tells them even more which certainly clarifies exactly who and what Jesus would be and do. Jesus certainly reveals the thoughts of our hearts and it is as if a sword does pierce our heart when we find Jesus. When we lived solely for ourselves without any moral restrictions or at least any awareness of a life with God, we thought and behaved as we desired. But when  we did encounter Jesus he did indeed reveal to us our thoughts and how we should be thinking. He pierced our hearts with the truth, which is a sword, a double edged sword as we are told in the letter to the Hebrews:

 Heb 4:12

12 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.

NIV

Jesus is the word of God, for John has told us that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God and he became flesh and dwelt among us. When Jesus comes into our life we are changed forever. Our thoughts and our behavior are changed and we can never be as we once were. Even if we try, deciding to walk away, we cannot ever think and behave as we desire without any thoughts of Jesus. Once he has pierced our heart, it will remain pierced. We cannot change what God has done. That almost sounds like, once saved, always saved, but it is not. We can walk away from Jesus, but the point is our thoughts will never be void of him. We can never return to a thought life that we had before we encountered Jesus. Once we meet Jesus we will never be the same, we will be changed forever because our heart was pierced.