© 2013 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Some prayers yield uncomfortable results! Consider this prayer, for example. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalms 139:23-24). Do you dare pray such a prayer?

Although King David prayed this prayer, I have often been afraid to. Are you anxious to have God, Himself, shine His bright light on all the dark corners of your thoughts? He will reveal the heinous nature, even of things most folks would condone. Do you dare pray such a prayer?

If you or I sincerely ask God to uncover our wickedness, He’ll do just that! There are those secret thoughts that you think nobody else sees and that you’d rather not remember. God will crush your pride by revealing them to you. Do you or I dare pray such a prayer?

What if we ask God to uncover our wickedness? What then? What will we do with what He reveals? Will we be able to cope with it? Did you ever find yourself thinking, “Dear Lord, I didn’t want to remember that one. I can’t overcome it!”? When God shows us the depths of our sinfulness, it can take our breath away and knock the wind out of our sails. Do you or I dare pray such a prayer?

King David was well aware of the fact that he could not conquer his own wickedness once God had revealed it. Notice the words that conclude his prayer. “…lead me in the way everlasting.” David knew that God must heal his heart and give him the will and desire to follow in that everlasting way of eternal life. If God only revealed our wickedness to us, without leading us out of it, we would be forever undone. Only the Lord’s strength and cleansing will bring victory over sin and death. If He does not lead us, we will perish. Unless the sacrificial blood of God the Son, Jesus Christ the righteous, is applied to cleanse the darkest corners of our souls, we’ll die without hope. Our own feeble attempts to accomplish good works of righteousness will never suffice. Only God’s amazing power, love, grace, mercy and forgiveness can deliver us to follow in the way everlasting.

Do you dare pray such a prayer?

 

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