How Many Are Willing?

How many of us are willing to pray this prayer of David?

“Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” (Psalm 26:1-2)

Who wants to walk up to God and say, “Judge me!”? And on top of that proclaim to God, “I have walked in mine integrity!”

That’s a pretty bold thing to do, don’t you think? And yes, David does give God the credit by saying he has trusted in the Lord so therefore he won’t slide. But even still, who is secure enough in themselves to ask God to judge them. Aren’t we the same ones who like to boldly state, “Judge not!” from Matthew 7 as our defense, protection and shield from being tried and proved?

By the way, the word “reins” from the above phrase, “try my reins”, means kidneys. It was believed that while the heart was the seat and center for love, the kidneys were the seat of inclinations, desires, delights and devotions of the soul. So, the expression, “try my reins and my heart” meant to test our inner most love and affections.

David isn’t issuing God a challenge nor is David being cocky or overconfident in some sort of self-righteous self-assessment. Oh no, quite the opposite. David is humbling himself and asking God to judge and examine him so as to live!

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:31-32)

Who better to go to with our self and our sins than God? Is not that what God wants?

The process of repentance, of true repentance isn’t pleasant. It is the most humbling experience we can have. We must discover our sins, know that they are in fact, sins. We must understand that sin, and be remorseful over it. We better be remorseful over our sins, because if we aren’t, then we don’t fully understand it nor can we repent of it. We must give God our sins and be done with it. The Holy Spirit will mingle with our spirit and reveal anything that is unrighteous. Even still, we must be honest and truthful throughout the process of repentance and realize that this is an ongoing process and not a singular event. Too many Christians believe that their baptism was their one and only time of repentance. This leads to the wrong notion of once saved always saved.

“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.” (Lamentations 3:40-41)

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Turn again to God, which is the definition of repent. Turn to Him. The consequence of repentance is salvation. The process or repentance may be painful, but that’s just the effects of sin trying to hold on.
 

Redemption can only come through Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Redemption has two aspects to it. By definition, to be redeemed means to be separated from sin and washed clean. You can only be washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ and you can only do that by accepting Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior.

You cannot repent and be redeemed on your own, by yourself.

Remember the parable of the unclean spirit that leaves a man. That man’s house was “empty, swept, and garnished” (Matthew 12:44). But the man does not bring Jesus into his house, and while he cleaned his home, he didn’t bring in Christ. What happened was that one unclean spirit came back with “seven other spirits more wicked than himself” and “the last state of that man is worse than the first.” (Matthew 12:45).

Spiritually speaking, there is no such a thing as a vacuum. There is no such a thing as a clean (righteous) and empty house. If The holy Ghost doesn’t reside there, an evil spirit will.

We all should be like David and ask God to judge, examine and prove us; to test the inner man and see what’s in our heart and soul. The act alone shows our faith, trust, and love for God

Bill Hitchcock