A Time for Searching, Testing and Seeing
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
(Psalm 139: 23, 24)
It has long been a challenge for us to trust and follow God's immeasurable ways. As human beings with human limitations, it is difficult at times to see the good things that the Lord brings in our lives especially through the hardest moments. It is tough to feel the much-needed peace in the midst of fears and loss. It is impossible for human thoughts to see the calm island far away through the rough seas. And if we are going through a time of failure, loss, debts, illness and difficulties in our lives, then it would be a great breakthrough for us to take some time to allow God to do what He has to do in our lives.
During the years 2009 - 2014, I was a university student in Bangalore. During these years, I was also being part of the Youth Fellowship at Koramangala Methodist Church (KMC) where I regularly attended Sunday services. I was always fascinated by the word that was used for the annual campings that we went for in the midst of the busy schedule of all the youngsters in a high-tech city - "PitStop." It took me a while to digest the real meaning of the word and it also led me towards a better application of the same in my life. A pit stop is an informal word used to refer to a brief stop for rest and food, especially when you are on a journey. As a youth in the midst of many other busy youngsters in the fellowship, the word made more sense to me when I identified it with the modern automobile racing industry and to drop my jaw when I learned the 2.4 seconds World Record by Jenson Button - McLaren Mercedes Pit Stop at Hockenheim, Germany in Formula One 2012. I learned to apply the same in my faith walk with God, even on the busiest day of my life. But today, this passage we have chosen from Psalm 139: 23, 24 takes us to the next level. This passage teaches us to allow God to search, test and see within ourselves.
Psalm 139 is a Psalm of David which is a reminder of the all-powerful and all-possible God whom our hearts must seek and yearn for. David expresses his inner-most feelings of adoration and submission in this passage while he wonders at the mighty and great things that the Lord had done in his life. And, these verses at the end of this Psalm sets everything in place and teaches us three important lessons.
"Search me, God, and know my heart"
Let us learn to open ourselves in front of the glorious presence of the almighty God. Our hearts must be willing to be transparent in His presence, allowing God to remind us of what our heart thinks. Let us be assured that, whether we open ourselves or not, our Creator knows exactly what is going on in there. But, opening ourselves only helps us! It allows us to remind ourselves that we are giving God everything. Asking God to search us and to know our hearts is an expression of our willingness to be searched and known by the Lord.
"Test me and know my anxious thoughts"
There are numerous fears and anxieties within us which we may not realise until we are shaken. There are hidden areas of thoughts in us which drop us into the drainage of fear which our regular normal routine life may not realise. And when we say, "Test me, Lord" we are asking God to help us know our real selves. It is a plea of asking God to help us see what we really are in a troubling circumstance. It is a request we make to see our compatibilities when the situations are not normal; when things go against what we expected.
"See if there is any offensive way in me"
Both as fellow human beings and as believers of Christ Jesus, it is our bounden duty to express love and patience in all times. Just as Jesus has reminded us that love is the greatest command of all (Matthew 22: 34 - 40), we are called to live a life that is not offensive in any way. And it is important that we regularly ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be loving. Thus, we are invited to ask the Lord to see if there is any offensive way in us, and to help us overcome them. We are called to live a life that is far away from hurting someone and to express the love that we could to everyone around us.
This Psalm of David reminds us that when this searching, testing and seeing becomes a regular part of our everyday life, then it is a sign that we have opened ourselves to God for Him to lead us "in the way everlasting." Surely this is a lifestyle that a believer of Christ Jesus is called to live. This is an invitation to have a closer walk with God. This passage we have looked into is a reminder of what our lives should be yearning for so that we are always filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, express love in the world and to seek everlasting life.
I pray that the power and blessings of God the Father, the love and grace of Christ Jesus the Son, and the fellowship and guidance of the Holy Spirit be with us and guide us towards living a life that yearns for God's searching, testing and seeing in our everyday life, and to be led by Him in the way everlasting.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ,
"Search me, O God" | Carman
