Open for Examination

-

Scripture
 
Psalm 139:23     Search me, O God, and know my heart;
        test me and know my thoughts.
24     See if there is any wicked way in me,
        and lead me in the way everlasting.

Observation

David opens himself up to examination from God. He is willing to place himself before God and requests that every nook and cranny of his being is searched. Not only does he ask God to examine his actions, but also his motivations. He is opening himself up to scrutiny before God most high and hides nothing. If there is any wickedness that remains in him, he wants God to point it out so that it can be removed and he can follow in the eternal pathways God has placed before him.

Application

I’m guessing we all have thoughts that pop into our minds that we’d like to keep secret. There may be moments of anger, jealousy, and frustration. We may allow our thoughts or minds to linger in unhealthy spaces but we work really hard to keep all of this hidden from the people around us.

Having the light of examination shine into the deep recesses of our minds could make us feel incredibly uncomfortable, but that is exactly what David is asking God to do. In our context it is an invitation to the light of the Holy Spirit to shine into our lives and reveal to us our true motives.

Are we willing to join the Psalmist in this prayer? The only way that we are able to find a deeper place in our walk with the Lord is by opening ourselves up to examination. This is how we grow spiritually, and when the Holy Spirit takes control of our heart, thoughts, and motivations, then things begin to change. Our desire becomes God’s eternal pathway and nothing more. Every activity in life is motivated by a desire to become more like Christ. His reflection in our lives grows until the world sees Christ and Christ alone. There is no room for anything wicked to remain. The holy love of God so fills our being that sin is extinguished, for there is nothing left to fuel its activity. This is all possible when we allow ourselves to be examined by God.

Prayer
 
Lord, search me. Amen.

If you would like to read more "Reflecting the Image"  click on the image to take you to the NPH bookstore.The book is also available in Kindle format on Amazon.com.


http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/nph/itempage.jsp?itemId=9780834135277

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a ti...
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her ...
Read more

On Grief and A Flute Player

-
Scripture: Matt. 9:23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, Matt. 9:24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Matt. 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Matt. 9:26 And the report of this spread throughout that district. Observation: This is a simple story which we have heard or read numerous times. Jesus heals the little girl and the people rejoice. But at the moment in which he arrives at the home he encounters the professional mourners. These are the flute players, the ones who have come to make a great noise about the child’s death. It is the flute player that testifies to the fact that she is truly dead. Also, flutes were generally employed when it came to the death of a child. The whole community would therefore understand that it is a child who has died in this home. The flute player is doing the job they have ...
Read more