The Divine Surgeon

I was a high school sophomore awaiting surgery to repair torn cartilage in my knee. In walked a young orderly with a razor to shave my leg. Before long, the blood began to flow. He was unskilled, and his razor was dull. Fortunately, the next day was different. The surgeon was skilled, and his scalpel was sharp.
 
Surgery is always painful, but its purpose is to heal. To be successful, the surgeon must be skilled. I once saw a documentary on a surgical technique to reduce an enlarged heart. The surgeon literally sliced off a quarter of the heart and sewed it back together, where upon it began beating again! Would you want a medical intern doing such a procedure? I think not.
 
The surgery was successful, too, because the surgeon's scalpel was razor sharp. Have you ever tried cutting meat with a dull knife? It does not cut clean. It tears the meat. Imagine using a dull scalpel on a human body, particularly a vital organ such as the heart. The recovery period from open-heart surgery is a slow and painful one, but if all goes as planned, you are much better than before.
 
Reading the Word of God is not a painless endeavor because it cuts deep to lay bare the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. The Divine Surgeon is very skilled and knows where to look. His scalpel is also very sharp, so his incisions are clean and precise. Because He is skilled and His surgical instrument is sharp, He does not inflict pain needlessly and is able to bring healing to our lives.
 
Each time you read the Bible, you place yourself onto the operating table of the Divine Surgeon. But know that you are in good hands. He is quite familiar with your condition, having done the procedure countless times, and He is very skillful at making incisions. Afterwards, you may hurt a little, but your recovery will be complete and you will be better than you were before.