Heart Check-up

Verse of the day: Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; ²⁴ And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Many of us have heard about the importance of having a physical check-up every year to make sure that we are healthy and have no underlying illnesses that have not been detected or have not yet shown any outward symptoms for. For us, the born again believer, it is of utmost importance that we have frequent heart check-ups. King David writes of God’s omnipresence and omniscience in this Psalm. We are reminded that there is no place that we can go, or hide in, where God is not present (v. 7-12). There is nothing we do, or think, that God does not already know (v. 1-4). He created us and knew us, even before we were formed in our mother’s womb (v. 13-16). We would do well to reflect on how good God has been to us, and continues to be toward us, even though what we deserve is eternal condemnation. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. Psalm 40:5 reminds us that if we were to declare all the wonderful works that God has done, and His thoughts toward us, they would be more than we can number. With that said, how foolish it would be for us to think that we could do anything in secret that is not seen by God; or how foolish it would be to think that God does not know our thoughts, imaginations, and all that goes on in our hearts. There is no sinful thought, wrongful motivation or intention, which God does not see. There may even be sins hidden away in our hearts that we do not see. How often are we critical of others because of their attitudes and actions, yet we exhibit the same attitudes or actions ourselves? Even if we do all that we can to live godly and righteously before God, we must always be ready to go before God and ask Him to dig deep within us and unearth that which lies in the deep recesses or our hearts, that we cannot see. He may choose to allow trials and tribulations to come into our lives in order for that which He desires to change in us to surface; for this reason we must be thankful for those times of trouble that God uses to show us that we are lacking in our attitude, and our tendency to react wrongly when the waters are stirred up in our lives. King David here asks God to show him what is in his heart, not for the purpose of God finding out what is there (for God already knows); but instead, King David himself wants to know if there is any hidden sin in his life that needs to be eradicated. Psalm 19:12 reminds us, “Who can understand his error? Cleanse me from secrets faults”. When we truly have a heart for God, we are willing to allow God to not only show us what is in our heart, but also be ready to allow Him to do whatever necessary to remove whatever it is, in whatever manner He chooses to remove it, and lead us on the path of that is good for us, and promotes the glory of God for others to see as we represent Him here on earth.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).