Search My Heart
By Dean Collins
Over the years I have challenged myself and my readers to consider the Psalms as both an example of how to pray but also as prayers we might offer to God. In many psalms we discover that it is okay to ask God hard questions, including the questions that start with “Why?” and “Where are you God?”
Today, as I wrap up several devotions on Psalm 139, we are challenged by David’s humility and courage as he concluded his prayer:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
I suppose that if we could use AI to make a list of the things we say to God in our prayers, the list might be something like this:
Thank you for our food…
Please heal…
Forgive me…
Protect my children…
Give me wisdom…
Rescue me…
Help me…
Have mercy…
And every one of those prayers were and are appropriate. We have seen God answer our prayers over and over again. But how often have we asked God to search our hearts or know our thoughts, specifically asking God to reveal our sin and see if we are aligned with him? As much as I want to say I do that daily, I will confess that my focus in prayer is often more about needing wisdom and guidance than in asking God to reveal my sins.
The truth is that God already knows what is in our hearts and minds. He sees and knows our thoughts. As embarrassing as it is to admit, God knows not just a few but all our grievous thoughts. And he knows that our ways regularly fail to align with his ways. So, when we pray this prayer, we want God to show us what he already knows so that we might repent and correct our thinking in order for godly behavior to follow.
In the preceding verses, David told God that he hated those who hated God, which suggests that in one way he was aligned with God. It is fairly easy to side with God in hating evil; however, as David ends this prayer, he is asking God to reveal any ways that there is evil in his own heart. God desires everyone to come to repentance so that no man would perish:
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
We must come to grips with how often our minds wander to seek or desire the punishment of others versus how often we actually want those who do evil to come to repentance and discover forgiveness. When we pray verses 23 and 24, we are asking God to reveal any ways that our hearts do not reflect his love and desire for everyone to repent and align their lives with God.
Go ahead and fervently pray for friends and family to be healed, blessed, and guided. But maybe we first need to ask God to reveal any ways our hearts and minds are out of alignment with his will. Then we might find the ways our own thoughts and behaviors might be preventing those around us from discovering the wonderful love and mercy of God.
Father, today we stop to confess how often we have pointed our fingers at others and their sins instead of asking that you show us our own sin. Forgive us. With David we pray:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 139:23-24 ESV
Photo by Pexels
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