Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart
In Psalm 26 we find David confident is his walk with God, asking God to open up his heart and look within him, test him and see what direction he would go. He was confident that his relationship with the Lord was in such good form that God would be well pleased. I’m not so sure that I could ever pray that prayer with great confidence! Maybe a window of twenty seconds… maybe then I could get my heart right enough to say God, look now! But please do it quick.
My wonderful husband got me a new camera for my birthday which is coming up in a few days and I was super excited about it! As I looked through the lens at various subjects in my living room, including Sammy the Jack Russell which lay by my side I was well pleased that a snap shot of his fur gave such clear detail. You could see each strand of hair in fine detail. And then I began to wonder if God examined me in such close proximity what would He find? Would it be a picture worth framing or one I’d rather delete? God knows.
In the teen class Wednesday we talked candidly about the subject of Christian testimonies and how important it was to walk as closely to God as possible for we were all examined by our peers. It would do no good to stand and testify about the glorious goodness of God on Sunday morning if we had shouted expletives at a ballgame on Friday night. While none of us are perfect, nor was David as he wrote the Psalm, we must still examine ourselves. Paul said as much in his second letter to the Corinthians but he capped it off with the good news…
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
While I on my own cannot with clear conscience say “All is well within my heart,” because there are seeds of doubt, temptations and pride that can rear their ugly heads at any time; I can say “IT IS WELL” in Christ. His blood has covered my inadequacies in finer detail than any camera can capture. Were it not for that I would live defeated.
So many Christians, myself included, fail to examine their faith before we examine our lives. I speak on the assumption that you who read are saved. If you’re not sure of salvation (click here), otherwise, read on!
Examine Me
We know that we’re all sinners, Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” so how can one say “Examine me, O Lord?” Because we’re being examined through our faith. And not just our faith, but His!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Did you catch that, He is faithful! Our part of the deal is to come to Him and acknowledge that we’ve messed up, once that’s done He cleanses us, we can do nothing to cleanse ourselves. So upon further examination God sees a clean heart.
Prove me
While I by no means believe there is salvation by works, when I received the salvation of God I desire to work! James 2:17 says “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Apostle Paul told the Galatians in Galatians 6:4 “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” A desire to serve God brings joy to the soul and upon examination is further proof that you are His child, covered by the blood of Jesus!
Try me
1 Peter 1:7 says “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
I don’t know if you remember, but I remember what it was like to go through a trial pre-salvation vs. post-salvation. And although trials are still not something I enjoy I’ve never been in one that my relationship with the Lord did not grow. And when I came out on the other side I could look back and say, “It is well with my Soul!” Because God never left my side.
So when I say “Lord, Examine me, prove me and try me.” It’s not that I’ll be found perfect. It’s that I know that God will be found perfect.
John says it well in 1 John 4:17 ~ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.