Thursday, August 23, 2012

Self-examination

Lamentations 3:40-42 
"Let me examine my ways and test them, and let me return to the Lord. Let me lift up my heart and my hands to God in heaven, and say: I have sinned..." 

This puts the responsibility squarely on our shoulders!

Let ME examine my ways and test them.

Let ME return to the Lord.

Let ME lift up my heart and my hands to God.

...and say, I have sinned.

Self-examination is always difficult. That's why most don't do it. 
It's easier to keep the bandage on the wound (or the hideous sin...because aren't they all?).


Psalm 17:3 
"Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin." 

Well, you go David! God sure wouldn't be able to say that about me. How about you?
The reality is that God is probing us. Examining us. Searching us. Testing us. All day. All night.
Is our life pleasing to Him? Are our words His words? Do our actions bring him fame or shame?

Psalm 27:2 
"Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind." 

David was ASKING God to test him, try him, and examine him. He was an open book. He was being honest. Why do we act like God doesn't catch on to our tricks? He sees it all!

Jeremiah 17:10
"I, the Lord, search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." 

That is a humbling reality to acknowledge that God sees every part of us (actions, words, thoughts, motives) and rewards us accordingly.

That's not always a bad thing thought! PTL that he sees the intentions and motives of our heart when we are trying to please Him and others don't understand. When they misinterpret our motives, we need only to be concerned with what the Father thinks of us. He's the one we should be trying to please.

So....
go self-examine
and see what you find.

1 comment:

  1. A very brave and necessary step for us as followers of Christ. I love this!

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