Search Me O God!

Lying in bed at night the mind can be shrouded in a cloak of fear. Why? Because, upon honest introspection, we know dark secrets are hidden there.

Often when life is difficult, when we are depressed, or uninspired, soul-searching is needed.

King David wrote about this in Psalm 139: 23–24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (KJV)

The very act of going to God and asking Him to search me and know my heart is deeply frightening.

How about you?

Even though we know that God knows all, purposefully laying ourselves open to be examined by God is akin to waking up naked in front of all your friends — humiliating.

In Jeremiah 17:9 we are told, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Often, we spend our days loving people and things that make us feel good. Our heart says, “if I’m involved it must be love and love is good — right?

My love of doughnuts and accolades would show the fallacy of that thinking.

Christian believers have their salvation secured, but their sanctification, living the Christian life, requires a constant effort.

Further on in the Scripture David says, “try me, and know my thoughts.” How often have you invited God to know your thoughts?

Not often? Me neither.

Thoughts are like cotton balls being tossed around by the breeze. They are difficult to wrangle, hard to corral.

God wants to help us tame our thoughts by giving us Scripture to measure each thought against. When those strays drift in, ask via God’s word if they compare to the Truth of the Bible, if not, open the gate and let them go.

Thoughts can’t be controlled, but you don’t have to pen them up in your mind trying to tame them.

What we think leads us to action. If we fill our minds with things of this world, we become its agents. Our motivations center around us, in the center. This world is about pleasure and pleasure is only experienced by individuals.

Us.

Are there any wicked ways in us? We all know the answer, yet David’s Psalm encourages us to ask God for help. This effort does not condemn us, it frees us. We ask God to show us our wicked ways so we can change.

We change to live in the way everlasting.

Wicked ways of living result in the destruction and death of the soul. We have all seen it, people we have encountered living wicked lives seem to radiate damaging darkness, tainting whatever they touch. Remember the story of why Babylon is destroyed? Wicked and evil throughout; the focus of God’s vengeance.

The news media is full of wicked people. Interestingly, wicked people are in the news because of their wicked actions. Destruction, chaos, and horror sell newspapers but condemn the perpetrators to eternal suffering.

Seldom do we hear of people living God-fearing lives. It isn’t sensational. It doesn’t sell papers.

But oh, the joy, peace, and satisfaction of “living in the way everlasting.”

What path would you prefer to follow? The wicked way, schussing fearlessly down to eternal suffering or the ultimate goal of living the way everlasting with Jesus in paradise?

It is your choice.

Soli Deo Gloria!