"Search me, O God"

“Search me, O 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)

Do I truly know my own heart? If I am honest with myself, I do not. I know I am a sinner. I know I love Jesus, but do I truly know my heart? So, I trust in my Savior, and I know He does. Do you know your heart? Taking a deep retrospective look inside yourself, do you truly know your heart?

I know my Savior, Jesus Christ, does, and if He is your Savior too, then He knows your heart also. If you do not have a Savior in Christ, He also knows your heart. We know this as John wrote, “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people  and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:24-25) David wrote Psalm 139, asking God to search his heart and lead him from sin.

In today’s society, the norm is not what it was 10, 20, or 30 years ago. We are pushed towards compliance with society's norms. For those in Christ, washed by the lamb, in our sins, we are convicted by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. However, as much as we would like to pretend, the world's wickedness does not affect us; it wears on us. For those who profess to be Christians but may be timid in their proclamations of the gospel, it can cause one to be on unsure footing with the Lord. This applies not only to people but also to churches as well. If one finds internal problems within a church, interpersonal issues, or moral issues, it is mainly because the Pastor fails to exposit scripture, preach the gospel, and provide spiritual guidance and leadership.

David wrote this Psalm when he was being persecuted with false accusations and lies about him. This happened during Saul's oppression and Absalom's rebellion. John Gill, whom many do not know but who preached with Spurgeon, noted in his book “The Exposition of the Bible Commentary”, that Aben Ezra, a celebrated Spanish Rabbi born in 1092, called this Psalm the most glorious and excellent Psalm in the book.

We must act like David, asking God to reveal what separates us from Him in our hearts. We live in denial, a minimization of our level of depravity. We are coddled in a sinful society that says we are okay, we are good, when, in fact, we may be drastically opposite of this “feel good message” that promotes self-indulgence and moral relativism.

Sin is sin because of God's holiness. If it were not for His holiness, there would be no sin. But as God created everything, and everything continues to exist because of Him, the comparison of the heart between us and God remains a revelation to us, and our need for a Savior.

There is no gray area with God. We cannot walk with one foot in the world and one foot following Christ. We also know the answer to what Paul wrote in Romans 6:1, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” To which we answer with a resounding No! Be honest and truthful before the Lord, for only he knows our true hearts. Jeremiah wrote: Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations?(7:9-10)

Pray as the words David wrote to the choirmaster say, “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Fall prostrate in your conviction by the Holy Spirit. Repent and pray for reconciliation and the Lord's strength, love, and guidance to continue to walk in faith and grow in sanctification so that the only words you will hear when you are called before God are “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

We believe in the perseverance of the saints and that your salvation cannot be taken from you, yet in despair, even David wrote, "Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11) We are imperfect, we will sin, and works do not save us. It is what is in your heart, your faith and belief, love, devotion, and trust in the Lord that will find you receiving those words.

If you do not know Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior, reach out to us here at In Messiah. We can show you where in the Bible lies the truth and guide you on your path to the Lord.

Grace and Peace!