Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. – (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)
God, examine me and know my mind. Test me and know all my worries. Make sure that I am not going the wrong way. Lead me on the path that has always been right. – (Psalm 139:23-24, ERV)
Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; see for Yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong – then guide me on the road to eternal life. – (Psalm 139:23-24, MSG)
This is a powerful pair of verses. It is not that God does not already know our hearts, our anxieties, and the offensive ways with in us, but it a matter of us choosing to allow Him access into the things that we would rather keep hidden. When we reach out and ask Him to enter into all of us, He is faithful to show us what is good and the things that ought to change. We are works in progress. God is faithful to lead, guide and direct us in the ways we are meant to go, and trustworthy to come into the spaces we prefer be left unseen to show us how to do things differently. His kindness leads to repentance and His love restores the broken and brittle spaces within us. May we ever seek the Lord to know us, correct us, lead us and guide us into a life that leads to His everlasting love.
Search my heart, O God,
make me ever new;
show me how to change,
so I reflect You.
Where I am anxious,
show me how to trust;
where I’m unloving,
fill me with Jesus.
Lord, show me the path,
that I’m meant to take;
the way that is best,
each day as I wake.
Lead me in Your love,
in all that I do;
make Your kindness clear,
so I reflect You.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are gentle and kind and that though You know everything about us, You wait to be invited in to show us the ways we are meant to go. Thank You that You are faithful to meet us each time we ask and that Your love is unconditional and eternal. Forgive us for the times that we have been lacking love. Show us how to love like You in every situation and circumstance. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to refine us to reflect You. Amen.
© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present
God has been kind to you. He has been very patient, waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of His kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you will decide to change your lives. – Romans 2:4