It’s a hard topic to speak about, and so, we don’t talk about it often.
The topic? Sin.
“For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:25, NASB)
When we exchange the truth with a lie, it will always lead us to sin. When we accept the lie as truth, it leads us down a destructive path because we truly believe we are right. The outcome is worship of something, or someone, other than the One True God.
God has given us a conscience but when we refuse to heed our conscience, it becomes hardened – no longer seeing right from wrong. Our own stubbornness will lead us astray.
“And the only thing that keeps our conscience sensitive to Him is the habit of being open to God on the inside.”
(Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, May 13)
David was hard on himself, being fully aware he was prone to sin. He was also courageous and invited God to search his heart:
The cross reference in my Bible sent me to Psalm 81:11-12 –
“But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me. So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices.” (NASB)
“The greatest judgment God can send is to let people have their own way.”
(Wiersbe Study Bible, page 830)
May we be as courageous as David and invite God to search our hearts each day.
As we invite Him to search and know our hearts,
our lives are cleansed and surrendered, and
He is able to start His work in us.
Lord, help us to stay open to You, to heed when You bring conviction , and obey Your Word. Help us to recognize any lies before we begin to accept them. Keep our consciences sensitive to Your Holy Spirit and continue to work on us from the inside out. In Your Name we pray and ask this, Amen.
Photo by Barnabas Hertelendy on Unsplash
"May we be as courageous as David and invite God to search our hearts each day." Amen. It's such an ugly task, but it results in such beauty when it leads us to repentance and to accept God's grace. Thanks for the encouragement, Joanne.
ReplyDeleteI think we often try to avoid this search of our heart. But as you said so well, Lisa, the results are so worth it.
DeleteJust as I think my house seems pretty clean until I start looking closely, so my life looks "okay" until I really begin examining it and stop making excuses. And even then, I don't see everything: we so need to ask God to search us and show us our hidden faults and failures and wrong perspectives.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a good analogy, Barbara. Grateful that as He does the search, He also does the work of forgiveness and restoration.
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