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.
Hebrews 4:12 ESV

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4 ESV

When Hebrews 4:12 was written, the letter to the Hebrews had not yet been included in what is called the canon (rule of faith) of Scripture. The books and letters in today’s canon of Scripture (Old and New Testaments) survived the canonization process because they consistently, powerfully, and purely reflect the voice of God as well as the dialogue he had with the obedient pioneers of our faith.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. Hebrews 1:1-2 ESV

The above words, along with the below revelation given to the Apostle John, invite us to “search the Scriptures” as our foremost means of discernment and insight when hearing the voice of God in our everyday lives.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 ESV

Searching the Scriptures is a lifelong pursuit made possible through efforts of many translators through the centuries. Here’s another incentive for studying Scripture:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

Those of us who want to hear God’s voice as clearly as possible go to the well of Scripture frequently to “prime the pump” of living water into our hearts and enhance our daily conversations with him. Here’s an illustration of what I mean:

During my K-8 school days, my rural, one-room schoolhouse didn’t have indoor plumbing. So every day, our teacher assigned a couple of us to fill a bucket with water from the iconic Nebraska windmill which was just a few steps from the schoolhouse entryway. That water was then poured into a stoneware water dispenser inside the building. If the wind was blowing, one of us would hook the pump up to the windmill. But if there was no wind, we pumped the water manually. The water only began to flow after the pump was “primed” several times to remove air from the suction line.

As you use water in your home or workplace today, thank God for providing the Living Water of Scripture to “prime” your communication with him.