A
Timely Request
Drug traffickers from Central and
South America are constantly looking for ways to move drugs across our
borders undetected. They hide them inside of tires, in seats, in gas
tanks and other hard-to-find areas. Drug-sniffing dogs have
been trained to ferret out concealed drugs. But drug trafficking
methods have become so sophisticated even those dogs are often unable
to detect the presence of drugs.
Drug traffickers do NOT welcome
searches. They’d rather border officials just wave them in after a
casual glance without scrutinizing a vehicle’s contents. In the
spiritual realm, it’s amazing how many of those who name the name of
Christ would rather Jesus forego any in-depth scrutiny of their
lives.
David made this request: “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” (Psalm
139:23-24). His request was five-fold: SEARCH, KNOW, TRY, SEE
and LEAD.
In Psalm 23, David affirmed his God
LEADS him beside the still waters (23:2), and LEADS him in the paths of
righteousness (23:3). Every sheep NEEDS leadership; but not every sheep
WELCOMES it. But if a man or woman truly desires to be LED of God, they
MUST be willing to undergo a thorough SEARCH by the One whose
leadership they seek.
The word “search” means “to
investigate, examine thoroughly.” The word “try” means "to prove, to
scrutinize, to assay (as to ascertain the purity of gold).” When one
requests all the power of heaven be brought to bear upon his thought
life, to expose ANY wicked way, he better be prepared to deal with
God’s findings.
David asks God to “know” his heart
and thoughts. Earlier in the Psalm, David affirmed: “Thou knowest my
downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off”
(139:2). David is clearly NOT asking God to DISCOVER flaws in his
thinking, but rather to DISCLOSE to David what he already knows to be
true of him.
In real life, searches are usually
time-consuming. If you enlist a housing inspector to inspect a property
prior to purchase, expect that inspector (if he does a thorough job) to
spend at least half a day checking lights, plumbing, roof, attic,
foundation, etc. In a few days he’ll deliver a written report of the
findings along with photographs. It will enable the prospective buyer
to demand certain repairs be made BEFORE signing a contract.
Likewise, if one requests a divine
inspection of his thoughts and resultant behavior, he better be
prepared to spend as much time with God as necessary (in prayer and the
scriptures) to learn what needs to be FIXED before he can walk in close
fellowship with God. The request for a divine search begins with ME—NOT
with the guy across the street, NOT with the political class, NOT with
the preacher or hypocrites in the church. And when God completes his
search and delivers his report, the one searched will have his hands
full with the fixes.text
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