The heart of the matter, is the heart (IV) Search me and know my heart

While the Lord is extremely patient (I know this from experience 2 Peter 3:15), He nevertheless is committed to our deliverance from the power and pollution of sin. And He will, if necessary, by what he allows or by what He sends, do the spiritual equivalent of hitting us over the head with a 2 x 4 (Hebrews 12:6). But He much prefers that we come to Him. And actually I prefer to come to Him too, because I know that when I do, He can be all the more gentle with me. The psalmist leads the way in his prayer “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23, 24). We will be looking at these verses more closely over the next few days. This morning we will be looking at the phrase “Search me, O God, and know my heart.”

If that giant of the faith, the apostle Paul, could say “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent” (1 Corinthians 4:4), then perhaps we should not be too quick to assume our complete innocence either. I sense that one of the reasons why it is difficult to confess our faults one to another (James 5:16 again), is that many times it’s not safe. But God is safe,  for there is no condemnation to those of us who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).  God is for us, not against us (Romans 8:31), and He always has our best interest at heart. But for some reason, it can be difficult for us even to trust God. And coming to the place where we fully trust Him with our heart can be a process, rather than an instant fix.

When we pray “know my heart,” what we are doing is giving the Lord permission to lay our heart bear to Him, to be an open book to Him,  to allow Him to search out the things that we have hidden even from, and perhaps especially from, ourselves. Paul was acknowledging this in the above quote. We looked  earlier at the statement in Isaiah 30:18 that the Lord waits to be gracious to us. And part of trusting Him when we pray this prayer, is to understand that he has a timing for everything, and will not allow us to be tried or tested beyond our ability, but with His help enable us to push through and to overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13). But I can tell you from my own experience, that there is nothing more freeing or peace giving, than to know that the air is clear between me and Him.

Father, “your gentleness has made me great” (Psalm 18:35). But I am aware this morning Father,  that there are likely those reading this, who have not yet learned  or experienced this principle. So I pray for them and myself this morning Lord,  that You would continue to woo us with Your gentleness. Bring us to the place Lord where we can say  with the Psalmist “You have searched me and known my ways … You know me altogether … such knowledge is too wonderful for me (Psalm 139). Indeed Lord You are out exceedingly great reward (Genesis 15:1), and I praise you again this morning in Your precious and Holy and Lovely Name Amen